Velocity Profile for Immiscible Viscous Fluids

velocity distribution

velocity versus height

fluid height

h

3

(top)

0.34

h

2

(middle)

0.33

viscosities

μ

3

(top)

0.5

μ

2

(middle)

1

This Demonstration shows the behavior of three immiscible, incompressible fluids in laminar flow. The fluids are layered vertically and subjected to steady-state Couette flow; the top plate moves to the right at a constant velocity, and the bottom plate is stationary. At each height, the black arrow is proportional to the velocity of the fluid at that height. You can change the viscosities and heights of fluids 2 and 3 with sliders. The velocity distribution shows the impact of fluid viscosity on the fluid's velocity gradient. The velocity versus height plot indicates the relative slopes (or velocity gradients) in each fluid. All numbers are dimensionless.