Boussinesq approximation of the Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations

Abstract: We study the interactions between the thermodynamic transition and hydrodynamic flows which would characterise a thermo- and hydro-dynamic evolution of a binary mixture in a dissolution/nucleation process. The primary attention is given to the slow dissolution dynamics. The Cahn-Hilliard approach is used to model the behaviour of evolving and diffusing interfaces. An important peculiarity of the full Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations is the use of the full continuity equation required even for a binary mixture of incompressible liquids, firstly, due to dependence of mixture density on concentration and, secondly, due to strong concentration gradients at liquids' interfaces. Using the multiple-scale method we separate the physical processes occurring on different time scales and, ultimately, provide a strict derivation of the Boussinesq approximation for the Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations. This approximation forms a universal theoretical model that can be further employed for a thermo/hydro-dynamic analysis of the multiphase systems with strongly evolving and diffusing interfacial boundaries, i.e. for the processes involving dissolution/nucleation, evaporation/condensation, solidification/melting, polymerisation, etc.