Effective Navier-slip in non-Newtonian fluid flows over corrugated surfaces

Abstract

In this study, we show that complex local flow fields, particularly those near corrugated surfaces, can be accurately reproduced with effective Navier-slip boundary conditions over an imaginary smooth surface, in which the normalized slip length can be considered as a surface property even for non-Newtonian fluid flows. The expression for the normalized slip length was derived analytically using the effective viscosity and effective shear rate in a pressure-driven channel flow with a corrugated surface, based on the two-parameter model by separating geometrical and rheological factors with the effective viscosity concept. Our framework was established on the combination of the force balance approach for slip length characterization and the flow quantification method based on the energy dissipation rate. Effects of corrugated patterns with various aspect ratios were investigated. For verification, an example stick–slip–stick flow problem was tested and the results were compared with those of direct simulations. We report that the dimensionless normalized slip length appears to be almost constant and independent of the flow rate (or pressure drop). This implies that the normalized slip length is nearly independent of rheological properties. In addition, the dimensionless slip length of non-Newtonian fluids was found to be close to that of a Newtonian fluid, and it depends on the flow geometry itself.