Peristaltic transport of a power-law fluid in an elastic tube

Abstract

A mathematical model is proposed to study the influence of elasticity on the peristaltic flow of a generalized Newtonian fluid in a tube. A power-law model is considered in the present study to understand the effect of elasticity on the peristaltic flow of blood through arteries. Application of blood flow through arteries is studied by expressing a relationship between pressure gradient and volume flow rate in an elastic tube. The results show the significant effect of elasticity on flow quantities. It is observed that the flux increases as the fluid behaviour index increases and that the flux is more for a Newtonian fluid when compared to non-Newtonian cases. The trapping phenomenon is presented graphically for various physical parameters. The results obtained in the present study are compared with an earlier investigation of Vajravelu et al. (Peristaltic transport of a Herschel–Bulkley fluid in an elastic tube. Heat Transf-Asian Res. 2014;44:585–598).