A hydrodynamic model of capillary flow in an axially symmetric tube with a non-slowly-varying cross section and a boundary slip

Abstract

The capillary flow of a Newtonian and incompressible fluid in an axially symmetric horizontal tube with a non-slowly-varying cross section and a boundary slip is considered theoretically under the assumption that the Reynolds number is small enough for the Stokes approximation to be valid. Combining the Stokes equation with the hydrodynamic model assuming the Hagen–Poiseulle flow, a general formula for the capillary flow in a non-slowly-varying tube is derived. Using the newly derived formula, the capillary imbibition and the time evolution of meniscus in tubes with non-uniform cross sections such as a conical tube, a power-law-shaped diverging tube, and a power-law-shaped converging tube are reconsidered. The perturbation parameters and the corrections due to the non-slowly-varying effects are elucidated, and the new scaling formulas for the time evolution of the meniscus of these specific examples are derived. Our study could be useful for understanding various natural fluidic systems and for designing functional fluidic devices such as a diode and a switch.