Viscous correction to the potential flow analysis of Rayleigh–Taylor instability in a Rivlin–Ericksen viscoelastic fluid layer with heat and mass transfer

The current investigation focuses on examining viscous corrections for viscous potential flow (VCVPF) analysis concerning the Rayleigh–Taylor instability occurring at the interface of a Rivlin–Ericksen (R–E) viscoelastic fluid and a viscous fluid during the transfer of heat and mass between phases. The R–E model is a fundamental framework in the study of viscoelastic fluids, providing insights into their complex rheological behavior. It characterizes the material's response to both deformation and flow, offering valuable predictions for various industrial and biological applications. Within the framework of viscous potential flow (VPF) theory, viscosity is exclusively accounted for in the normal stress balance equation, disregarding the influence of shearing stress entirely. This study introduces a viscous pressure term into the normal stress balance equation alongside the irrotational pressure, presuming that this addition will improve the discontinuity of tangential stresses at the fluid interface. Through derivation of a dispersion relationship and subsequent theoretical and numerical stability analyses, the stability of the interface is investigated across various physical parameters. Multiple plots are generated using the dispersion relation, and a comparative analysis between VPF and VCVPF is conducted to establish improved stability criteria. The investigation highlights that the combined impact of heat/mass transport and shearing stress serves to delay the instability of the interface.