Application of Recursive Theory of Slow Viscoelastic Flow to the Hydrodynamics of Second-Order Fluid Flowing through a Uniformly Porous Circular Tube

Slow velocity fluid flow problems in small diameter channels have many important applications in science and industry. Many researchers have modeled the flow through renal tubule, hollow fiber dialyzer and flat plate dialyzer using Navier Stokes equations with suitable simplifying assumptions and boundary conditions. The aim of this article is to investigate the hydrodynamical aspects of steady, axisymmetric and slow flow of a general second-order Rivlin-Ericksen fluid in a porous-walled circular tube with constant wall permeability. The governing compatibility equation have been derived and solved analytically for the stream function by applying Langlois recursive approach for slow viscoelastic flows. Analytical expressions for velocity components, pressure, volume flow rate, fractional reabsorption, wall shear stress and stream function have been obtained correct to third order. The effects of wall Reynolds number and certain non-Newtonian parameters have been studied and presented graphically. The obtained analytical expressions are in agreement with the existing solutions in literature if non-Newtonian parameters approach to zero. The solutions obtained in this article may be considered as a generalization to the existing work. The results indicate that there is a significant dependence of the flow variables on the wall Reynolds number and non-Newtonian parameters.