Analytical and numerical study of the electro-osmotic annular flow of viscoelastic fluids

In this work we present semi-analytical solutions for the electro-osmotic annular flow of viscoelastic fluids modeled by the Linear and Exponential 1'11 models. The viscoelastic fluid flows in the axial direction between two concentric cylinders under the combined influences of electrokinetic and pressure forcings. The analysis invokes the Debye-Hiickel approximation and includes the limit case of pure electro-osmotic flow. The solution is valid for both no slip and slip velocity at the walls and the chosen slip boundary condition is the linear Navier slip velocity model. The combined effects of fluid rheology, electro-osmotic and pressure gradient forcings on the fluid velocity distribution are also discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.