Finite element analysis of slow non‐newtonian channel flow

Abstract

Abstract A finite element method is applied to isothermal slow channel flow of power‐law fluids. The fully developed flow is normal to the channel cross section. The method and results are compared with a finite difference method for rectangular channels and with exact solutions for the Newtonian case. An advantage of finite element methods is the flexibility of the mesh of elements approximating the continuum, chosen to suit the particular problem. Arbitrary boundary shapes can be handled as illustrated by a rectangular channel with rounded corners.