Numerical investigation of a laminar pulsating flow in a rectangular duct

A pulsating laminar flow of a viscous, incompressible liquid in a rectangul ar duct has been studied. The motion is induced under an imposed pulsating pressure difference. The problem is solved numerically. Different flow regi mes are characterized by a non-dimensional parameter based on the frequency (omega) of the imposed pressure gradient oscillations and the width of the duct (h). This, in fact, is the Reynolds number of the problem at hand. Th e induced velocity has a phase lag (shift) with respect to the imposed pres sure oscillations, which varies from zero at very slow oscillations, to 90 degrees at fast oscillations. The influence of the aspect ratio of the rect angular duct and the pulsating pressure gradient frequency on the phase lag , the amplitude of the induced oscillating velocity, and the wall shear wer e analyzed. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.