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Fingering instability in non-Newtonian fluids during squeeze flow in a Hele-Shaw cell

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Abstract

Instability at the interface separating different fluids, may develop under different conditions, leading to increased roughness of the boundary. A difference in viscosity of the fluids is usually responsible for viscous fingering, this occurs when the pressure on the low viscosity side is higher. We report here a reverse effect when a non-Newtonian fluid is squeezed between two plane surfaces by applying a force. We observe that a wave-like irregularity develops on the interface, though the viscosity of the air surrounding the fluid is negligible compared to the apparent viscosity of the thick potato starch gel under study. Development of the wavelength of the undulations as a function of the fluid composition and other factors is studied. We suggest a qualitative explanation for this effect, which is observed only in non-Newtonian fluids.

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Acknowledgments

M. Dutta Choudhury is grateful to Alumni Association, Jadavpur University for Research Grants endowed by S Das and to CSIR for award of a senior research fellowship. A Giri is sincerely acknowledged for technical help and advice. Authors thank T Dutta, S Kitsunezaki and A Nakahara for helpful suggestions and discussion. We also thank CGCRI, Kolkata for helping Rheology measurement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Condensed Matter Physics Research Centre, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India

    M Dutta Choudhury & S Tarafdar

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  1. M Dutta Choudhury
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  2. S Tarafdar
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Correspondence to S Tarafdar.

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Dutta Choudhury, M., Tarafdar, S. Fingering instability in non-Newtonian fluids during squeeze flow in a Hele-Shaw cell. Indian J Phys 89, 471–477 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-014-0606-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12648-014-0606-3

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