Particle motion in unsteady two-dimensional peristaltic flow with application to the ureter

Particle motion in an unsteady peristaltic fluid flow is analyzed. The fluid is incompressible and Newtonian in a two-dimensional planar geometry. A perturbation method based on a small ratio of wave height to wavelength is used to obtain a closed-form solution for the fluid velocity field. This analytical solution is used in conjunction with an equation of motion for a small rigid sphere in nonuniform flow taking Stokes drag, virtual mass, Faxen, Basset, and gravity forces into account. Fluid streamlines and velocity profiles are calculated. Theoretical values for pumping rates are compared with available experimental data. An application to ureteral peristaltic flow is considered since fluid flow in the ureter is sometimes accompanied by particles such as stones or bacteriuria. Particle trajectories for parameters that correspond to calcium oxalates for calculosis and Escherichia coli type for bacteria are analyzed. The findings show that retrograde or reflux motion of the particles is possible and bacterial transport can occur in the upper urinary tract when there is a partial occlusion of the wave. Dilute particle mixing is also investigated, and it is found that some of the particles participate in the formation of a recirculating bolus, and some of them are delayed in transit and eventually reach the walls. This can explain the failure of clearing residuals from the upper urinary tract calculi after successful extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. The results may also be relevant to the transport of other physiological fluids and industrial applications in which peristaltic pumping is used.