Stability of a Non-Newtonian Flow down an Incline

Abstract eng:
We investigate experimentally the stability of a shear-thinning flow down an inclined plane. We focus on low-concentrated polymer solutions following a Carreau rheology. By measuring the wave numbers and amplification coefficients at different frequencies, we reach the marginal conditions and determine the stability threshold in the (Re, k) plane. We find this threshold to be in good agreement with numerical results obtained by a resolution of the generalized Orr-Sommerfeld equations, as well as with results found in the literature. This confirms the destabilizing effect of the shear-thinning properties, observed through a lower critical Reynolds number and a higher wave celerity.

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