Article
Analogy between Thermodynamic Phase Transitions and Creeping Flows in Rectangular Cavities
Symmetry (MDPI)
(2020)
Abstract
An analogy is found between the streamline function corresponding to Stokes flows in
rectangular cavities and the thermodynamics of phase transitions and critical points. In a rectangular
cavity flow, with no-slip boundary conditions at the walls, the corners are fixed points. The corners
defined by a stationary and a moving wall, are found to be analogous to a thermodynamic first-order
transition point. In contrast, the corners defined by two stationary walls correspond to thermodynamic
critical points. Here, flow structures, also known as Mo att eddies, form and act as stagnation regions
where mixing is impeded. A third stationary point occurs in the middle region of the channel and it
is analogous to a high temperature thermodynamic fixed point. The numerical results of the fluid
flow modeling are correlated with analytical work in the proximity of the fixed points.
Keywords
- cavity flow; streamline function singularities; stokes creeping flow
Disciplines
Publication Date
November 12, 2020
DOI
10.3390/sym12111859
Citation Information
Miron Kaufman and Petru S. Fodor. "Analogy between Thermodynamic Phase Transitions and Creeping Flows in Rectangular Cavities" Symmetry (MDPI) Vol. 12 (2020) p. 1859 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/miron_kaufman/65/