Peristaltic transport of thixotropic fluids: A numerical simulation

Abstract

Peristaltic flow of a thixotropic fluid obeying the Moore model is numerically studied using the multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-LBM). Converged results could be obtained in a planar two-dimensional channel at large Reynolds numbers for arbitrary wavelengths and amplitude ratios for nonzero Reynolds numbers. It is shown that depending on the Reynolds number and the parameters of the propagating wave, the time constant introduced through a fluid’s thixotropy may increase the mean flow rate of peristaltic pumps. Our numerical results suggest that for thixotropic fluids there exists a threshold wav-enumber for the peristaltic wave above which thixotropy can boost fluid transport but below which it can have an opposite effect.