We consider the dynamics of a symmetrically heated thin incompressible viscous fluid sheet. We take surface tension to be temperature dependent and consequently the streamwise momentum equation includes the effects of thermocapillarity, inertia, viscous stresses, and capillarity. Energy transport to the surrounding environment is also included. We use a long-wave analysis to derive a single nondimensional system which, with appropriate choices of Reynolds number, recovers two previously studied cases. In both cases, we find conditions under which sufficiently large-amplitude initial temperature profiles induce film rupture in finite time, notably without the inclusion of disjoining pressures from van der Waals effects. When the Reynolds number is large, the similarity solution is governed by a balance of inertia and capillarity near the rupture location, analogous to the isothermal case. When the Reynolds number is small, the thermocapillary transients induce the same similarity solution over intermediate times that is found for the drainage of lamellae in foams. For O(1) Reynolds numbers, the dynamics are governed initially by the large Reynolds number evolution, and then a transition over several orders of magnitude in the sheet thickness needs to take place before the small Reynolds number similarity solution is observed. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

We derive a general reduced model for the flow of a slender thread of viscous fluid on a grooved substrate. Specific choices of the substrate topography allow further analytic progress to be made, and we subsequently focus on a convection-diffusion equation governing the evolution of viscous liquid in a wedge geometry. The model equation that arises also appears in the context of foam drainage, and we take the opportunity to review and compare the results from both applications. After summarising the constant mass results, we introduce a time-dependent fluid influx at one end of the wedge. The analytical results are supported by numerical computations. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

We consider the dynamics of a thin symmetric fluid sheet subject to an initial temperature profile, where inertia, viscous stresses, disjoining pressures, capillarity, and thermocapillarity are important. We apply a long-wave analysis in the limit where deviations from the mean sheet velocity are small, but thermocapillary stresses and heat transfer from the sheet to the environment are significant and find a coupled system of partial differential equations that describe the sheet thickness, the mean sheet velocity, and the mean sheet temperature. From a linear stability analysis, we find that a stable thermal mode couples the velocity to the interfacial dynamics. This coupling can be utilized to delay the onset of rupture or to promote an earlier rupture event. In particular, rupture can be induced thermally even in cases when the heat transfer to the surrounding environment is significant, provided that the initial phase shift between the initial velocity and temperature disturbances is close to phi = pi/2. These effects suggest a strategy that uses phase modulation in the initial temperature perturbation related to the initial velocity perturbation that assigns priority of the rupture events at particular sites over several spatial periods. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3693700]

We investigate self-similar solutions of the dipole problem for the one-dimensional thin film equation on the half-line {x >= 0}. We study compactly supported solutions of the linear moving boundary problem and show how they relate to solutions of the nonlinear problem. The similarity solutions are generally of the second kind, given by the solution of a nonlinear eigenvalue problem, although there are some notable cases where first-kind solutions also arise. We examine the conserved quantities connected to these first-kind solutions. Difficulties associated with the lack of a maximum principle and the non-self-adjointness of the fundamental linear problem are also considered. Seeking similarity solutions that include sign changes yields a surprisingly rich set of ( coexisting) stable solutions for the intermediate asymptotics of this problem. Our results include analysis of limiting cases and comparisons with numerical computations.

Working with international collaborators, we have made substantial progress into identifying the role of special (self-similar) solutions to equations arising in the study of surface tension driven thin-film flow. This has led to a number of publications in international journals with additional papers to be submitted in the very near future. The research has also been presented at several international meetings

We have been analytically and computationally investigating the motion of a monolayer thin film (tether) held between two quasi-steady masses.  The monolayer tether is assumed to be stretched by an externally imposed symmetric stagnation point flow and interesting dynamics arise due to the competition between surface tension and convective flow.  In particular, we have been interested in whether the tether breaks in finite time and how such rupture occurs.Mathematical modelling of this phenomena leads to a higher-order non-autonomous nonlinear diffusion-convection equation containing a parameter that takes different values depending on the thickness of the monolayer film.We have analysed the behaviour of the evolution equation for general values of the parameter and have identified that for large enough values of the parameter rupture of the tether does not occur in finite time.We are now writing this research up for publication in the near future.

1) Working with Professor T P Witelski (Duke University, USA), we have been studying out-diffusion solutions of the so-called thin film equation (a fourth order parabolic partial differential equation) on a finite multi-dimensional domain; this extends our recent previous work on the one-dimensional problem.While considering this problem, we decided first to make a preliminary study of the related problem for the lower (second) order porous medium equation.  In this context, we have constructed analytically self-similar solutions that act as large time attractors for solutions defined on sectorial [quarter, half-plane and three-quarter-plane] domains.  We have confirmed these results using numerical simulations.2) While working on this project, I established a new working relationship with Professor L. Smolka (Bucknell University, USA) looking at how thin films evolve in a periodic domain (corresponding physically to the external surface of a cylinder) under the combined effects  of gravity (drainage) and thermal stresses (leading to a non-convex convective flux of fluid).  The interaction of convective effects and surface tension (fourth order parabolic terms) yields solutions containing non-classical shock dynamics, such as undercompressive-compressive shock pairs and undercompressive shocks-rarefaction fans.  We are currently writing up the results of this research for publication in the near future.

Working with Professor T. P. Witekski (Duke University, USA), we mathematically investigated the dynamics of a thin liquid film draining from the edge of a (constrained) domain.  Such problems frequently arise in industrial coating processes where domains are of finite extent.This work has now been published in EJAM (European Journal of Applied Mathematics):Pressure-dipole solutions of the thin-film equationM. BOWEN  and T. P. WITELSKI  European Journal of Applied Mathematicshttps://doi.org/10.1017/S095679251800013XPublished online: 02 April 2018

We have considered self-similar sign-changing solutions to the thin-film equation on a semi-infinite domain with zero-pressure-type boundary conditions imposed at the fixed boundary.  In particular, we have identified classes of both first- and second-kind compactly supported self-similar solutions and have explained how these solutions interact as parameters vary.  

Working with an international collaborator, I have investigated the dynamics of a thin liquid film draining off of one edge of a flat substrate. Such a scenario frequently arises in the natural sciences, engineering and industry. We have also extended these results to the (non-physical) case where the solution (corresponding to film height) can change sign. The analytical results are supported by detailed numerical calculations.