PERISTALTIC PUMPING OF A JEFFREY FLUID WITH VARIABLE VISCOSITY THROUGH A POROUS MEDIUM IN A PLANAR CHANNEL

Abstract

The peristaltic flow of a Jeffrey fluid with variable viscosity through a porous medium in a symmetric channel is investigated under the assumptions of long wavelength and low Reynolds number. The fluid flow is investigated in the wave frame of reference moving with the velocity of the peristaltic wave. A regular perturbation technique is employed to solve the present problem and solutions are expanded in a power of small viscosity parameter . Expressions for the velocity, the stream function, the pressure gradient, the pressure rise and frictional force over a one wavelength are obtained. The effects of Jeffrey fluid parameter , viscosity parameter , Darcy number , porosity parameter , and amplitude ratio on peristaltic pumping, frictional force and trapping are discussed through the graphs in detail.

Key words: Darcy number; frictional force; Jeffrey fluid; trapping; variable viscosity

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 76S05