Previous abstract | Graphical version | Text version | Next abstract

Session BH - Non-Newtonian Fluids.
ORAL session, Sunday morning, November 19
Bunker Hill, Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill

[BH.008] Spin-down of an Elastic Fluid

Andrea Young, Anandhan Jayaraman, Andrew Belmonte (W. G. Pritchard Labs, Dept of Mathematics, Penn State)

We present a study of a non-Newtonian fluid during spin-down from rigid body rotation. Whereas a viscous Newtonian fluid slows down monotonically after its container stops spinning, a non-Newtonian fluid can also oscillate; this provides a simple experimental characterization of both elastic and viscous rheological properties. We report experimental results on the spin-down of elastic fluids in a cylindrical container (rigid bottom, free surface top), observing the damped oscillations as a function of rotation rate and depth of the fluid. Comparisons are made with an analytic solution of a single mode Maxwell model.

Part B of program listing