Dear Nektar users,

             I'm using Nektar++ Incompressible Navier-Stokes Solver in fully 3D mode, with added temperature field, in a plane poiseuille flow heated at the bottom wall, solver running very well, and as if it wasn't already enough, I'm asking for more here !  'hopefully',

--> My question is about the possibility to handle variable viscosity or temperature dependent viscosity,

             So is there any approach to account for temperature dependent viscosity nu(T) ?

I'm asking for this, since the temperature gradient at the heated wall is known to alter the viscosity (Ref: Physics of transitional shear flow, A. V. Boiko et al. Sec. 6.5 page 112) which I have to account for when carrying flow transition calculations.

--> In case it is not directly achievable through Nektar's functionalities, is it conceivable to direct my effort toward employing an ad-hoc approach modifying the momentum transfer to account for lower liquid viscosity at higher temperature?

That is, most likely adding a forcing term which mimics the effect of varying viscosity by altering the momentum transfer accordingly, since the stress tensor  for a newtonian fluid tau=mu.du/dy.     

      Any comment on the sanity of this approach ?

Thank you all in advance, any help or general guidelines on this model variation greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Saad