Pressure effects on electroosmotic flow of power-law fluids in rectangular microchannels

In this paper, the fully developed electroosmotic flow of power-law fluids in rectangular microchannels in the presence of pressure gradient is analyzed. The electrical potential and momentum equations are numerically solved through a finite difference procedure for a non-uniform grid. A complete parametric study reveals that the pressure effects are more pronounced at higher values of the channel aspect ratio and smaller values of the flow behavior index. The Poiseuille number is found to be an increasing function of the channel aspect ratio for pressure assisted flow and a decreasing function of this parameter for pressure opposed flow. It is also observed that the Poiseuille number is increased by increasing the zeta potential. Furthermore, the results show that an increase in the flow behavior index results in a lower flow rate ratio, defined to be the ratio of the flow rate to that of a Newtonian fluid at the same conditions. Moreover, whereas the flow rate ratio in the presence of an opposed pressure gradient is smaller than that of a favorable pressure force for shear thinnings, the opposite is true for shear-thickening fluids.