Results of an experimental study on non-Newtonian flow in rectangular duct
are presented. The critical Reynolds numbers were measured using a flow vis
ualization technique for flow of distilled water and CMC solutions as the w
orking fluids. Also axial static pressure measurements in the different loc
ations of the duct were made for Newtonian and purely viscous non-Newtonian
fluids. Results indicate that as the pseudoplasticity of the solution incr
eases the critical Reynolds number increases while the dimensionless pressu
re drop decreases. The results of pressure drop obtained by the present inv
estigation are in very good agreement with available correlations in the li
terature. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.