Thermal Dynamics of Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow

The study of thermal dynamics in non-Newtonian fluid flow addresses the coupled transport of momentum and heat in materials whose viscosity varies with shear rate, time or temperature. Unlike Newtonian liquids, non-Newtonian fluids—such as polymer melts, biological suspensions and drilling muds—exhibit shear-thinning, shear-thickening or viscoelastic behaviour that profoundly alters thermal boundary layers and convective heat transfer. Understanding these effects is crucial for optimising processes ranging from extrusion and coating to energy recovery in geothermal reservoirs. Recent progress has focused on developing constitutive models that incorporate temperature-dependent viscosity and thermal conductivity, and on high-fidelity simulations that resolve steep gradients in velocity and temperature near solid boundaries. Experimental advances, including infrared thermography and micro-particle image velocimetry, have shed light on transition phenomena such as thermal slip and secondary flows in complex geometries. The interplay between rheological parameters and dimensionless groups—such as the Prandtl, Biot and Weissenberg numbers—governs stability, heat-transfer efficiency and the onset of thermal instabilities. These insights underpin the design of reactors, heat exchangers and biomedical devices where precise thermal control of non-Newtonian media is required.

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Thermal Dynamics of Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermal dynamics of non-newtonian fluid flow across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Non-Newtonian fluid: Fluid whose viscosity varies with shear rate, shear history or temperature, deviating from linear stress–strain behaviour.

Shear-thinning: Reduction in apparent viscosity as shear rate increases, common in polymer solutions and suspensions.

Boundary layer: Thin region adjacent to a solid surface where velocity and temperature gradients are most pronounced.

Viscoelasticity: Material property combining fluid-like viscosity with solid-like elastic response under deformation.

Biot number: Dimensionless ratio of internal thermal resistance of a body to external convective resistance, guiding heat-transfer analysis.

References

1. Flow and heat transfer to modified second grade fluid over a non-linear stretching sheet. AIP Advances (2015).
2. Effects of Shear Dependent Viscosity and Variable Thermal Conductivity on the Flow and Heat Transfer in a Slurry. Energies (2015).
3. Insights into the Stability of Mixed Convective Darcy–Forchheimer Flows of Cross Liquids from a Vertical Plate with Consideration of the Significant Impact of Velocity and Thermal Slip Conditions. Mathematics (2019).