NUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF THE FOUNTAIN FLOW PROBLEM FOR VISCOELASTIC FLUIDS

Fountain flow for isothermal viscoelastic fluids is simulated by a num erical method based on a combination of a finite element method and a finite volume method. For the treatment of moving free surfaces, a fri nge element generation method is used. Circulating flow and elongation in the transverse direction at the melt front are simulated well. Num erical results also suggest that circulation in fountain flow and visc oelastic retardation may give rise to symmetric V-shaped patterns of b irefringence between the center-plane and wall. Such information on mo lecular orientation in fountain flow is important for physical propert ies of thick molded products.