Spatiotemporal linear stability of viscoelastic free shear flows: non-affine response regime

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the linear stability of viscoelastic free shear flows using various constitutive models, revealing elastic stabilization effects, non-monotonic instability patterns, and complex stability regimes through numerical and analytical methods.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison of temporal and spatiotemporal stability analyses across four viscoelastic models, introducing a novel stability classification and detailed phase diagrams.

Findings

Elastic stabilization at high elasticity numbers.

Non-monotonic instability patterns in JS and PTT models.

Identification of stable and unstable flow regimes via phase diagrams.

Abstract

We provide a detailed comparison of the two-dimensional, temporal and the spatiotemporal linearized analyses of the viscoelastic free shear flows in the limit of low to moderate Reynolds number and Elasticity number obeying four different types of stress-strain constitutive equations: Oldroyd-B, Upper Convected Maxwell, Johnson-Segalman (JS) and linear Phan-Thien Tanner (PTT). The resulting fourth-order Orr-Sommerfeld Equation is transformed into a set of six auxiliary equations that are numerically integrated via the Compound Matrix Method. The temporal stability analysis suggest (a) elastic stabilization at higher values of elasticity number, (b) a non-monotonic instability pattern at low to intermediate values of elasticity number for the JS as well as the PTT model. To comprehend the effect of elasticity, Reynolds number and viscosity on the temporal stability curves of the PTT model, we consider a fourth parameter, the centerline shear rate, $\zeta_c$. The `JS behaviour' is recovered below a critical value of $\zeta_c$ and above this critical value the PTT base stresses (relative to the JS model) is attenuated thereby explaining the stabilizing influence of elasticity. The Briggs idea of analytic continuation is deployed to classify regions of temporal stability, absolute and convective instabilities, as well as evanescent modes, and the results are compared with previously conducted experiments for Newtonian as well as viscoelastic flows past a cylinder. The phase diagrams reveal the two familiar regions of inertial turbulence modified by elasticity and elastic turbulence as well as (a recently substantiated) region of elastoinertial turbulence and the unfamiliar temporally stable region for intermediate values of Reynolds and Elasticity number.