P. Isaksson et al., DEVELOPMENT OF SUBAMBIENT PRESSURES AND CAVITATION IN THE BLADE COATING PROCESS, Industrial & engineering chemistry research, 36(7), 1997, pp. 2834-2840
The flow behavior during blade coating is calculated with a finite ele
ment method for conditions which resemble paper coating. The calculati
ons include a free surface and shear-thinning theology. A subambient p
ressure, caused by the rearrangement of the velocity field, is calcula
ted near the blade exit. This pressure can approach the vapor pressure
of water for industrial conditions and may induce cavitation in this
region. The value of this exit pressure decreases for increasing web s
peeds and viscosities and for decreasing coat weights. Shear-thinning
behavior of the fluid causes a drop in this exit pressure. Conditions
of these kinds are known to promote operational problems during paper
coating which suggests that cavitation may be an underlying mechanism
for these problems.