• The Korean Journal of Rheology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.202-216
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• 1998

Improved version of previous 'Orthotropic' closure approximation, termed 'ORW' has been numerically developed using new homogeneous flow data. Previous 'Orthotropic' closure approximation, i.e., ORF or ORL showed non-physical oscillation for interaction coefficient $C_1$<0.001 at simple shear flow. It also shows non-physcial oscillation and under-prediction compared with 'Distribution Function Calculation' at non-homogeneous flow of center-gated disk. These phenomena are mainly due to the flow data of 'Distribution Function Calculation' which were used for least-square optimization. ORW obtained by fitting flow data of low interaction coefficient does not show non-physical oscillation and results in reasonably good behaviors at non-homogeneous flows as well as homogeneous flows. Fitting function forms have not been found to improve overall behaviors. It has been found that considering all the eigenvalues of orientation tensor (including the third eigenvalues) might end up with a better closure approximation than just considering the first and second eigenvalues. It is, however, very important and yet difficult to select appropriate function forms of eigenvalues. Numerical simulation including coupling and in-plane velocity gradient effects were performed for injection mold filing process with a film-gated strip and a center-gated disk using ORW and various other closure approximations for comparisons. Although ORW is in excellent agreement with 'Distribution Function Calculation', the predicted results seem to have consistent error in comparison with experimental data. The diffusivity term with constant interaction coefficient might have to be further investigated in order to accurately describe orientation states.