Stability of the Blasius boundary layer over a heated plate in a temperature-dependent viscosity flow

R Miller, Stephen Garrett, Paul Giffiths, Z. Hussain

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present complementary numerical and asymptotic studies of the flow over a heated, semi-infinite flat plate for a fluid with temperature-dependent viscosity. Liquid-type viscosities are found to entrain both the velocity and temperature profiles closer to the plate with increasing temperature sensitivity; gas-type viscosities are found to exhibit the reverse effect. A linear stability analysis is presented and we find that increasing the temperature dependence of the fluid (from gas- to liquid-type behavior) results in an increased critical Reynolds number to a point of maximum stability. Using an energy-balance approach, we determine that this behavior is primarily driven by the inviscid instability of the modified steady flow, rather than being a result of modified viscous instability effects. Application and extension of the results are considered in the context of chemical vapor deposition.
Original languageEnglish
Article number113902
Number of pages23
JournalPhysical Review Fluids
Volume3
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Nov 2018

Bibliographical note

©2018 American Physical Society

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