Viscoelastic Suppression of Gravity-Driven Counterflow Instability

Details Viscoelastic Suppression of Gravity-Driven Counterflow Instability Viscoelastic Suppression of Gravity-Driven Counterflow Instability

2010-08-26

arxiv.org/abs/1008.4595v2

Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 058301 (2011)

Physics

Fluid Dynamics

11 pages, 2 figures, revised in response to referees' comments

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.058301

Attempts to achieve "top kill" of actively flowing oil wells by insertion of dense drilling "muds", i.e., slurries of dense minerals, from above will fail if the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in the gravity-driven counterflow produces turbulence that breaks up the denser fluid into small droplets. Here we estimate the droplet size to be sub-mm for fast flows and suggest the addition of a shear-thickening polymer to suppress turbulence. Laboratory experiments show a progression from droplet formation to complete turbulence suppression at the relevant high velocities, illustrating rich new physics accessible by using a shear-thickening liquid in gravity driven counter-streaming flows.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Viscoelastic Suppression of Gravity-Driven Counterflow Instability does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Viscoelastic Suppression of Gravity-Driven Counterflow Instability, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Viscoelastic Suppression of Gravity-Driven Counterflow Instability will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-330883