A boundary-element analysis for transient viscoelastic blade coating flow

The one-dimensional plane Couette flow is first determined for a large clas s of Oldroyd fluids with added viscosity, which typically represent polymer solutions composed of a Newtonian solvent and a polymeric solute. Next, th e determined channel velocity profile is used as the boundary condition at the channel exit for the blade coating flow. The free-surface evolution of the flow at the channel exit is simulated using the boundary element method . It is argued that the free surface flow can be assumed Co be Newtonian. F or the channel flow, the problem is reduced to a non-linear dynamical syste m using the Galerkin projection method. Stability analysis indicates that t he velocity profile at the inlet may be linear or non-linear depending on t he range of the Weissenberg number. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.