Peristaltic transport of a Herschel-Bulkley fluid in an inclined tube

Peristaltic flow of Herschel-Bulkley fluid in an inclined tube is analyzed. The velocity distribution, the stream function and the volume flow rate are obtained, Also, when the yield stress ratio tau --> 0, and when the inclination parameter alpha = 0 and the fluid parameter n = 1, the results agree with those of Jaffrin and Shapiro (Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech. 3 (1971) 13) for peristaltic transport of a Newtonian fluid in a horizontal tube. The effects of tau and n on the pressure drop and the mean flow are discussed through graphs. Furthermore, the results for the peristaltic transport of Bingham and power law fluids through a flexible tube are obtained and discussed. The results obtained for the flow characteristics reveal many interesting behaviors that warrant further study of the effects of Herschel-Bulkley fluid on the flow characteristics. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.