Modeling Heat Transfer in the Polymer Flow Module

Heat transfer is an important phenomenon in many industrial processes. Typical examples are polymer extrusion, injection molding, and mixing of non-Newtonian fluids. Due to the strong temperature dependence of the constitutive parameters, it is necessary to include thermal variations in nonisothermal flow of non-Newtonian fluids. In flows through narrow passages, considerable heat is generated in the flowing fluid by viscous dissipation.

Other typical examples of industrial heat transfer are heating and cooling operations. Fluid plays a major role in transporting heat and a detailed description of the flow field is necessary to accurately describe such processes. The temperature, in turn, affects the fluid properties and can alter the flow field. Natural convection is an example of this.