Flow pattern transition accompanied with sudden growth of flow resistance in two-dimensional curvilinear viscoelastic flows.

We numerically find three types of steady solutions of viscoelastic flows and flow pattern transitions between them in a two-dimensional wavy-walled channel for low to moderate Weissenberg (Wi) and Reynolds (Re) numbers using a spectral element method. The solutions are called "convective," "transition," and "elastic" in ascending order of Wi. In the convective region in the Wi-Re parameter space, convective effect and pressure gradient balance on average. As Wi increases, elastic effect becomes comparable, and the first transition sets in. Through the transition, a separation vortex disappears, and a jet flow induced close to the wall by the viscoelasticity moves into the bulk; the viscous drag significantly drops, and the elastic wall friction rises sharply. This transition is caused by an elastic force in the streamwise direction due to the competition of the convective and elastic effects. In the transition region, the convective and elastic effects balance. When the elastic effect becomes greater than the convective effect, the second transition occurs but it is relatively moderate. The second transition seems to be governed by the so-called Weissenberg effect. These transitions are not sensitive to driving forces. By a scaling analysis, it is shown that the stress component is proportional to the Reynolds number on the boundary of the first transition in the Wi-Re space. This scaling coincides well with the numerical result.