Streaming potential and electrokinetic energy conversion of nanofluids in a parallel plate microchannel under the time-periodic excitation

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the hydrodynamic behavior of the different time-periodic electrically driven nanofluid flows through parallel plate microchannels under the combined influences of externally applied axial pressure gradient and transverse magnetic field. The analytical solutions for electro-magneto-hydro-dynamic (EMHD) flow in microchannels are obtained under the Debye–Hückel linearization. It's worth mentioning that the analytical solution of the velocity field under the unsteady state conditions is obtained by the Green's function method. In addition, we also compare the streaming potential and electrokinetic energy conversion efficiency under different time-periodic with related experimental data and theoretical research and conclude that the square waveform can effectively improve the streaming potential and electrokinetic energy conversion efficiency. The influences of several dimensionless parameters on velocity field, streaming potential and electrokinetic energy conversion efficiency are discussed in briefly and presented graphically.