FUNNEL FLOW OF A NAVIER-STOKES-FLUID WITH POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS TO MICROPOLAR MEDIA.

In this paper foundations are laid for a future solution of a fully coupled flow problem for the micropolar medium undergoing structural change in a funnel-shaped crusher. Initially the fundamental equations of micropolar media are revisited and the problem of structural changes of micropolar media moving in a crusher is explained. Then a review of the current state-of-the-art is presented and a necessary extension of the problem is motivated. The need for using numerical methods of fluid mechanics is emphasized. As a prerequisite for the study of the fully coupled initial boundary value 2D-flow problem of a micropolar fluid the funnel flow of a Navier-Stokes fluid is investigated based on an implicit finite difference scheme using the Thomas algorithm. Numerical results for velocities, stresses, and for the pressure dependence of the funnel flow are presented. The correctness of the algorithm is checked by specializing to the case of a flow through a tunnel of constant cross-section under the influence of gravity, for which an analytical solution is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]