Nonlinear peristaltic motion of a Johnson–Segalman fluid in a tapered asymmetric channel

• Main Authors: M. Kothandapani, J. Prakash, V. Pushparaj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2016-06-01
• Series: Alexandria Engineering Journal
• Subjects: Johnson–Segalman fluid; Peristaltic transport; Tapered asymmetric channel; Perturbation technique
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016816000429

The peristaltic flow analysis in a tapered asymmetric channel has been made for a Johnson–Segalman fluid. The tapered asymmetric channel is assumed to be formed due to a peristaltic wave train on the non-uniform walls having different amplitudes and phase. Two-dimensional equations of a Johnson–Segalman fluid have been simplified by treating a long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximations. The reduced equations are then solved for the stream function, axial velocity and axial pressure gradient using a regular perturbation technique. The expressions for the pressure rise, axial velocity and stream function are sketched and the reasons for the variations observed in various physical parameters are interpreted with valid theory. It has been noticed that peristaltic pumping region and free pumping decrease with an increase in non-uniform parameter and the situation is quite complimentary to the case of augmented pumping. It has also been observed that the size of the tapped bolus decreases with an increase in Weissenberg number.