A note on the drag coefficient of steady flow of non-Newtonian, power-law fluids across unbounded two-dimensional bodies at low reynolds numbers

Abstract

The flow of a non-Newtonian, power-law fluid, directed normally to long, two-dimensional horizontal bodies, is considered in the present note. It is found that for low Reynolds numbers (Re 0.1) and a low power-law index (shear-thinning fluids) the drag coefficient always obeys the relationship cD = A/Re, whereas at a high power-law index (shear-thickening fluids) the drag coefficient tends to become identical for all bodies irrespective of their cross-section form.