Sedimentation of a circular disk in power law fluids

The continuity and momentum equations have been solved numerically for the two-dimensional steady flow of power law fluids over a thin circular disk oriented normal to the direction of flow. Extensive results on the individual and total drag coefficients are obtained as functions of the power law flow behavior index (0.4⩽n⩽1.00.4⩽n⩽1.0), Reynolds number (1⩽Re⩽1001⩽Re⩽100) and the blockage ratio, disk-to-cylinder diameter ratio (0.02⩽e⩽0.50.02⩽e⩽0.5), which can be used to estimate the settling velocity of a circular disk. The numerical predictions of drag are consistent with the scant experimental results available in the literature.

The continuity and momentum equations have been solved numerically for the two-dimensional steady flow of power law fluids over a thin circular disk oriented normal to the direction of flow. Extensive results on the individual and total drag coefficients are obtained as functions of the power law flow behavior index (0.4⩽n⩽1.00.4⩽n⩽1.0), Reynolds number (1⩽Re⩽1001⩽Re⩽100) and the blockage ratio, disk-to-cylinder diameter ratio (0.02⩽e⩽0.50.02⩽e⩽0.5), which can be used to estimate the settling velocity of a circular disk. The numerical predictions of drag are consistent with the scant experimental results available in the literature.