Influences of Fluidic Interfaces on the Formation of Fine Scale Structure by Chaotic Mixing

Abstract

A numerical model has been developed of two-dimensional chaotic mixing of immiscieble Newtonian fluids. A computationally efficient numerical methodology is employed which is well-suited to complex, evolving interfaces. Mixing was confined to a rectangular cavity with periodically driven upper and lower surfaces. Interfacial forces and the transient flow fields in each phase were considered to assess specifically the influences on interfacial morphology of interfacial tension and phase viscosity ratio under creeping flow conditions. Predicted morphologies are compared to those of solidified specimens synthesized by chaotic mixing in companion studies.