Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, Vol.165, No.3-4, 143-157, 2010
A numerical method for solving the dynamic three-dimensional Ericksen-Leslie equations for nematic liquid crystals subject to a strong magnetic field
A finite difference technique, based on a projection method, is developed for solving the dynamic three-dimensional Ericksen-Leslie equations for nematic liquid crystals subject to a strong magnetic field. The governing equations in this situation are derived using primitive variables and are solved using the ideas behind the GENSMAC methodology (Tome and McKee [32]; Tome et al. [34]). The resulting numerical technique is then validated by comparing the numerical solution against an analytic solution for steady three-dimensional flow between two-parallel plates subject to a strong magnetic field. The validated code is then employed to solve channel flow for which there is no analytic solution. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Three-dimensional flow;Ericksen-Leslie equations;Nematic liquid crystal;Finite difference;Analytic solution