Peristaltic transport of a Herschel-Bulkley fluid in an inclined tube. (English) Zbl 1295.76039

Vajravelu, K.; Sreenadh, S.; Babu, V. Ramesh

Int. J. Non-Linear Mech. 40, No. 1, 83-90 (2005).

Summary: Peristaltic flow of a Herschel-Bulkley fluid in an inclined tube is analyzed. The velocity distribution, the stream function and the volume flow rate are obtained. Also, when the yield stress ratio \(\tau\to 0\), and when the inclination parameter \(\alpha = 0\) and the fluid parameter \(n=1\), the results agree with those of M. Y. Jaffrin and A. H. Shapiro [Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 3, 13–37 (1971; doi:10.1146/annurev.fl.03.010171.000305)] for peristaltic transport of a Newtonian fluid in a horizontal tube. The effects of \(\tau\) and \(n\) on the pressure drop and the mean flow are discussed through graphs. Furthermore, the results for the peristaltic transport of Bingham and power law fluids through a flexible tube are obtained and discussed. The results obtained for the flow characteristics reveal many interesting behaviors that warrant further study of the effects of Herschel-Bulkley fluid on the flow characteristics.

MSC:

76Z05

Physiological flows

Keywords:

peristaltic transport; Herschel-Bulkley fluid; inclined tube; volume flow rate