Cilia-assisted flow of viscoelastic fluid in a divergent channel under porosity effects

Abstract

Cilia-driven laminar flow of an incompressible viscoelastic fluid in a divergent channel has been conducted numerically using the BVP4C technique. The non-Newtonian Jeffrey rheological model is utilized to characterize the fluid. The flow equations are formulated in a curvilinear coordinate system, and the porosity effects are simulated with a body force term in the Navier-Stokes equation. The flow equations are transformed into a wave frame from a fixed frame of reference using a linear mathematical relationship. A biological approximation of creeping phenomena and the long-wavelength assumption is used in the flow analysis. The flow analysis is carried out by using a complex (wavy) propulsion of cilia beating. The two-dimensional flow is controlled by physical parameters-Darcy's number, curvature parameter, viscoelastic parameter, phase difference, cilia length, and divergent parameter. They also examined the ciliated pumping and bolus trapping in their flow analysis. The boundary layer phenomena in the velocity profile are noticed under more significant porosity and time relaxation effects. The bolus circulations are reduced for a larger porosity medium and larger numeric values of the time relaxation parameter.

Keywords: Cilia propulsion; Complex wavy scheme; Curvature; Porous medium; Viscoelastic fluid.