Hookean dumbbell conformation equation 2026-10-24
Multiply the Hookean dumbbell model configuration equation by and integrate twice by parts, with sufficient decay at large separation. The linear velocity field contributes , the spring drift contributes , and diffusion contributes . Thus the dimensionless conformation tensor obeys , with polymer relaxation time . Its left side is an upper-convected derivative for this gradient convention.
Past exam of the advanced fluid dynamics course of the University of Oxford 2017 2 a Solution 2026-10-25
Take and label each dumbbell once. Locally assume its probability density and number density vary negligibly over a connector length. The oriented connector crossing count follows geometrically: a connector crosses a small plane element precisely when its midpoint lies within a slab of normal thickness . For configurations in , the unsigned crossing number per unit area is thereforeThe expression without the absolute value is an oriented crossing count, or an unsigned count restricted to . It cannot be an unrestricted nonnegative number: a connector gives a negative printed expression despite physically intersecting the plane.
To obtain traction, keep the force orientation as well. For , the spring force on the bead below the plane exerted by the bead above it is . For the opposite orientation it is . Multiplying that force by the unsigned crossing count in either case givesIntegrating over all labelled configurations yieldsThere is no extra factor of two: each dumbbell was labelled and counted once, and the orientation-dependent force has already supplied the sign. This is the local continuum stress approximation; resolving appreciable spatial variation across a finite connector would require a nonlocal stress construction.
Past exam of the advanced fluid dynamics course of the University of Oxford 2017 2 c Solution 2026-10-25
For steady uniaxial extension of the Giesekus model, the component-first velocity gradient is diagonal, . For a steady spatially uniform diagonal stress, the material derivative vanishes and the convected terms are and . The off-diagonal equations vanish identically, and symmetry permits equal transverse components. The remaining equations areSet , and , with . For , the branches continuously connected to zero stress at zero rate areA sufficient nondegenerate range for physical solutions at every nonnegative rate is . Indeed with , so positive conformation implies positive mobility. The longitudinal quadratic equation is nonpositive at and has a nonnegative root of a polynomial. The transverse quadratic equation has values at and at , so its larger root of a polynomial lies in . Thus the displayed branches satisfy , giving . The other algebraic roots do not provide a physical branch connected to the equilibrium distribution. For constant positive diagonal , the associated stationary configuration distribution is a Gaussian with covariance .
For positive on the physical branch, the stretching stress remains finite through . At that rate,At large extension rate,Thus the stress continues to grow, but the uniaxial extensional viscosity approaches the finite plateau rather than developing a finite-rate pole. The transverse stress approaches as its conformation tensor variance becomes small. At small rate the two stresses are and , so .
When , the physical steady branch instead isThe stretching stress diverges as from below. Above that threshold its algebraic continuation has and cannot be a conformation covariance. There is no physical finite steady stretching state. The transient equationgives linear growth at and exponential growth at larger rates, the Hookean coil-stretch failure of the upper-convected Maxwell limit.
Anisotropic mobility rounds the Hookean extensional-stress singularity
. Dimensionless longitudinal and transverse stresses are plotted against the extension-rate parameter W. Positive dimensionless mobility factors 0.1 and 0.5 give regular equilibrium-connected branches. The isotropic-mobility longitudinal branch is shown only below its physical steady-state threshold W equal to one half. Details.Parameter qualification. Positivity of alone, without a restriction on , does not ensure real physical steady solutions for the entire tensor. For example , makes the transverse equation , which has no real root. Its diffusion/resistance interpretation is already inadmissible for some conformations. The physically positive-mobility regime stated above avoids that counterexample; the source's positive- case must not be taken as a guarantee for arbitrary parameters.
Past exam of the advanced fluid dynamics course of the University of Oxford 2019 2 c Solution 2026-10-25
Use the deterministic Hookean dumbbell model, with a zero-rest-length spring and negligible connector drag. For , its elastic forces on the two beads areHere is the spring constant. No independent thermal forcing from Brownian motion or bead inertia is included. The unperturbed linear velocity field is , with by incompressibility.
The fluid velocity used in each bead's drag law is the imposed flow plus the disturbance from the other bead, with its own singular field omitted. At leading order in , the evenness of the Oseen tensor, , givesThese are the pair hydrodynamic mobility matrix relations. Their signs follow from balancing each spring force with , the fluid drag on that bead.
Adding the equations cancels both the direct spring slips and the cross-induced velocities, since . For the midpoint ,The midpoint therefore follows the undisturbed linear velocity field. Subtracting the equations instead gives the hydrodynamic interaction of a Hookean dumbbell:The dimensionless interaction matrix isIts transverse and longitudinal eigenvalues are and , respectively. Since the spring force is longitudinal, the separation equation can also be writtenThe relative correction to the free-draining spring relaxation rate is therefore , explicitly proportional to . Entrainment by the other bead reduces their relative approach for given opposing spring forces.
This is a far-field hydrodynamic interaction, valid for ; it is not a near-contact law and omits higher reflections and lubrication. The printed target also fixes the spring's rest length implicitly. For an ordinary spring obeying Hooke's law with nonzero rest length , the elastic force would be , and every spring term above would acquire the factor . The displayed result uses the zero-rest-length spring convention appropriate to the ideal Hookean dumbbell model.
Past exam of the advanced fluid dynamics course of the University of Oxford 2024 2 b Solution 2026-10-25
Let , , and . The configuration equation of the Hookean dumbbell model becomesHere the paper's denotes the Boltzmann constant . Integrating the second moment equation against and discarding boundary terms at infinite separation givesFor example the spring drift differentiates each factor , while the Laplacian gives . The Hookean dumbbell conformation equation isIn the row-vector convention of , the displayed gradient tensor is , giving exactly the transposes in the requested equation. The dimensionless conformation tensor consequently has upper-convected derivative , with polymer relaxation time . This normalization matters: the unscaled has equilibrium value , rather than .
Probability current velocity 2026-10-25
Where a probability density is positive, its Fokker-Planck probability current can be written , giving a continuity equation . This velocity transports probability. It is not a differentiable instantaneous velocity of an overdamped Brownian motion path. In the Hookean dumbbell model, its osmotic term is .
