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7.3 Transport/rheology models
In OpenFOAM, solvers that do not include energy/heat, include a library of
models for viscosity . The models typically relate viscosity to strain rate
and are specified by the user in the transportProperties dictionary. The available
models are listed in the following sections.
7.3.1 Newtonian model
The Newtonian model assumes is constant. Viscosity is specified by a
dimensionedScalar nu in transportProperties, e.g.
transportModel Newtonian;
nu [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1.5e-05;

7.3.2 Bird-Carreau model
![]() | (7.20) |

transportModel BirdCarreau;
BirdCarreauCoeffs
{
nu0 [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-03;
nuInf [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-05;
k [ 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 ] 1;
n [ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ] 0.5;
}
7.3.3 Cross Power Law model
![]() | (7.21) |
transportModel CrossPowerLaw;
CrossPowerLawCoeffs
{
nu0 [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-03;
nuInf [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-05;
m [ 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 ] 1;
n [ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ] 0.5;
}
7.3.4 Power Law model
The Power Law model provides a function for viscosity, limited by minimum and
maximum values, and
respectively. The function is:
![]() | (7.22) |
transportModel powerLaw;
powerLawCoeffs
{
nuMax [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-03;
nuMin [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-05;
k [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-05;
n [ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ] 1;
}
7.3.5 Herschel-Bulkley model
The Herschel-Bulkley model combines the effects of Bingham plastic and
power-law behavior in a fluid. For low strain rates, the material is modelled as a
very viscous fluid with viscosity . Beyond a threshold in strain-rate
corresponding to threshold stress
, the viscosity is described by a power law.
The model is:
![]() | (7.23) |
transportModel HerschelBulkley;
HerschelBulkleyCoeffs
{
nu0 [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-03;
tau0 [ 0 2 -2 0 0 0 0 ] 1;
k [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 1e-05;
n [ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ] 1;
}
7.3.6 Casson model
The Casson model is a basic model used in blood rheology that specifies
minimum and maximum viscosities, and
respectively. Beyond a
threshold in strain-rate corresponding to threshold stress
, the viscosity is
described by a “square-root” relationship. The model is:
![]() | (7.24) |
transportModel Casson;
CassonCoeffs
{
m [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 3.934986e-6;
tau0 [ 0 2 -2 0 0 0 0 ] 2.9032e-6;
nuMax [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 13.3333e-6;
nuMin [ 0 2 -1 0 0 0 0 ] 3.9047e-6;
}
7.3.7 General strain-rate function
A strainRateFunction model exists that allows a user to specify viscosity as a function of strain rate at run-time. It uses the same Function1 functionality to specify the function of strain-rate, used by time varying properties in boundary conditions described in section 5.2.3.4. An example specification of the model in transportProperties is shown below using the polynomial function:
transportModel strainRateFunction;
strainRateFunctionCoeffs
{
function polynomial ((0 0.1) (1 1.3));
}