non-Newtonian Fluid Behavior Research Articles

Nonlinear Heat Source/Sink and Activation Energy Assessment in Double Diffusion Flow of Micropolar (Non-Newtonian) Nanofluid with Convective Conditions

The enhancement in heat transfer based on the utilization of nanoparticles is an attractive research area, and many scientists have intended their interest on this topic. With progressive features, the nanofluid reflects many applications in thermal engineering, heat exchangers, cooling phenomenon, magnetic cell separation, energy production, hyperthermia, etc. Following to the motivating significances of nano-materials, current research endorses the double diffusion thermal assessment of viscoelastic nanofluid with dynamic applications of activation energy and nonlinear mixed convection. The heat source/sink phenomenon with nonlinear relations is also incorporated. The stretched porous configuration caused the uniform flow pattern. The viscoelastic behavior of non-Newtonian fluid is inspected with applications of generalized micropolar fluid model. The primary motivations for selecting generalized micropolar fluid model are justified as it captures micropolar fluid, second-grade fluid, and viscous fluid results simultaneously. The convective transport of nanofluid has been examined via utilizing the convective temperature boundary conditions. The model equations for assumed flow model are reduced into dimensionless forms. The analytical solution for the modeled flow problem is obtained by using homotopy analysis scheme. The physical transport of flow parameters is graphically accessed. The numerical data are originated by using the relations of local Nusselt number, Sherwood number, and the motile microorganism density number. It is noted that nanofluid temperature improves with vortex viscosity parameter and viscoelastic parameter, while it increases with modified Dufour number. The solutal concentration profile grows up with Dufour Lewis number, while it decays with regular Lewis number. Moreover, the wall shear stress increases with viscoelastic parameter and Hartmann number.

Conditional and unconditional second-order structure functions in bubbly channel flows of power-law fluids

The influence of non-Newtonian fluid behavior and the Eötvös number on conditional and unconditional second-order structure functions of bubbly channel flows has been investigated by conducting a series of direct numerical simulations at a friction Reynolds number of 127.3. Two Eötvös numbers have been considered (Eo = 0.3125 and Eo = 3.75) together with three different power-law indexes representing shear-thinning (n = 0.7), Newtonian (n = 1.0), and shear-thickening (n = 1.3) fluid behavior. The scaling of the second-order structure functions (SFs) can be translated into an inertial range scaling of the turbulent kinetic energy spectrum. However, because of the discontinuous character of the fluid properties in bubbly flows, SFs are more easily accessible than turbulence spectra, which are based on Fourier transform. It has been found that the different parameters (i.e., Eo, n) have an influence on the energy content as well as the peak location of the compensated second-order SFs (i.e., the dimensions of the large scales). However, after appropriate scaling, the curves nearly collapse. To confirm and further explain the above findings, directional length scales have been evaluated and discussed in detail. Finally, the anisotropy of the Reynolds stress tensor and dissipation tensor has been analyzed in terms of the Lumley triangle, showing that bubbly channel flows are less isotropic than their single-phase counterpart, although they are more homogeneous in the channel center. While the dissipation tensor is slightly more isotropic than the Reynolds stress tensor in the bulk region of the channel flow, overall, a very similar behavior is observed.

Computational study of tsunami inundation using the LABSWE[formula omitted]—Sisko Model

The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) is promising for studies on Tsunami inundation. In this work, a Lattice Boltzmann Model for non-linear Shallow-Water Equations with a Turbulence Modeling​ (LABSWETM) was developed to consider the turbulence and non-Newtonian fluid behavior of tsunami flow. This involves incorporating the Sisko viscosity model into the lattice Boltzmann equation. By using the LABSWETM – Sisko Model, a two-dimensional simulation was carried out to model and predict the tsunami waves at Kuala Teriang, Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. In addition, the thin film method was utilized to model the wetting and drying of the tsunami run-up. The numerical results were found to be consistent with the corresponding experimental data extracted from literature, which demonstrated that the LABSWETM – Sisko Model was a feasible solution for the simulation of tsunami waves inundation. Moreover, the study showed that the tsunami inundation can occur over a very long distance, and with the increasing threat in the rise of the inundated water level.

Shear-thinning droplet formation inside a microfluidic T-junction under an electric field

Researchers usually simplify their simulations by considering the Newtonian fluid assumption in microfluidic devices. However, it is essential to study the behavior of real non-Newtonian fluids in such systems. Moreover, using the external electric or magnetic fields in these systems can be very beneficial for manipulating the droplet size. This study considers the simulation of the process of non-Newtonian droplets’ formation under the influence of an external electric field. The novelty of this study is the use of a shear-thinning fluid as the droplet phase in this process, which has been less studied despite its numerous applications. The effects of an external electric field on this process are also investigated. Aqueous carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solution with different mass concentrations is selected as the non-Newtonian fluid of the droplet phase. The level set numerical method is used to analyze the formation of droplets in a T-junction. First, the effects of changing the key parameters such as the inlet velocities of phases, the concentration of the droplet phase, and the contact angle and the time of first droplet formation are investigated. The results indicate that as the concentration of the droplet phase increases, the diameter of the droplet decreases. Next, by applying a voltage difference to the system, an electric field is created inside the system. It is found that the stronger the electric field, the larger the droplet size due to the direction of electric forces applied to the interface of the droplet.

Precise Method to Estimate the Herschel-Bulkley Parameters from Pipe Rheometer Measurements

Accurate characterization of the rheological behavior of non-Newtonian fluids is critical in a wide range of industries as it governs process efficiency, safety, and end-product quality. When the rheological behavior of fluid may vary substantially over a relatively short period of time, it is desirable to measure its viscous properties on a more continuous basis than relying on spot measurements made with a viscometer on a few samples. An attractive solution for inline rheological measurements is to measure pressure gradients while circulating fluid at different bulk velocities in a circular pipe. Yet, extracting the rheological model parameters may be challenging as measurement uncertainty may influence the precision of the model fitting. In this paper, we present a method to calibrate the Herschel-Bulkley rheological model to a series of differential pressure measurements made at variable bulk velocities using a combination of physics-based equations and nonlinear optimization. Experimental validation of the method is conducted on non-Newtonian shear-thinning fluid based on aqueous solutions of polymers and the results are compared to those obtained with a scientific rheometer. It is found that using a physics-based method to estimate the parameters contributes to reducing prediction errors, especially at low flow rates. With the tested polymeric fluid, the proportion difference between the estimated Herschel-Bulkley parameters and those obtained using the scientific rheometer are −24% for the yield stress, 0.26% for the consistency index, and 0.30% for the flow behavior index. Finally, the computation requires limited resources, and the algorithm can be implemented on low-power devices such as an embedded single-board computer or a mobile device.

Flow and heat transfer characteristics of non-Newtonian fluid over an oscillating flat plate

The primary purpose of the present study is to investigate the unsteady flow and heat transfer characteristics of non-Newtonian power-law fluid over an oscillating flat plate. The power-law fluid model is employed to characterize the non-Newtonian fluid behavior, which has wide applications in nature and technology, such as crude oil exploitation, polymer processing and some bio applications. In this study, the coupled governing equations are set up using the non-Newtonian fluid model. The radial basis function collocation method (RBFCM) and the finite element method (FEM) are used to solve the coupled equations. The simulation results on the fluid velocity and temperature distribution are analyzed in detail. For authentication of the proposed schemes, the numerical results are compared with earlier research works. To further verify the validity of the FEM and the RBFCM results, the flow behavior of crude oil was studied and the obtained results were found to be consistent with each other using both methods. Our results provide further guidance for evaluation aspects dealing with crude oil in a pipe, which are basic tools in oil and gas explorations.

An Experimental and Numerical Study on Coaxial Extrusion of a Non-Newtonian Hydrogel Material

Abstract Coaxial extrusion is a commonly used process to manufacture tubular structures to mimic vascular systems in 3D bioprinting. In this study, the stability of coaxial extrusion of a non-Newtonian material, Pluronic F127, is investigated. The extrusion process is considered stable when the extrudate form a core-annular structure. When it is unstable, dripping or jetting of the inner fluid is observed. In this study, the effects of the viscosity ratio, flowrate ratio, and the non-Newtonian behaviors on the stability of the coaxial extrusion process are investigated experimentally and numerically. The results show that all three factors can affect the stability of the process. When the ratio of viscosities increases, the process becomes unstable. The extrusion process tends to be stable when the flowrate of the outer fluid is much higher than that of the inner fluid. When the overall flowrate decreases, due to the non-Newtonian fluid behavior, the extrusion process can become unstable. This study shows the interconnected relationship between viscosity, flowrate, and non-Newtonian fluid behaviors and their effects on the stability of the coaxial extrusion process. The non-Newtonian flow behavior needs to be considered when studying or using coaxial extrusion. This study also provides a guiding principle on how to alter extrusion parameters in order to achieve the desired flow pattern.

Simulation of particles settling in power-law fluids by combined lattice Boltzmann-smoothed profile methods

In the current study, the settling, interaction, drafting, kissing, and tumbling of two identical and non-identical circular particles were simulated in a two-dimensional box in shear-thinning, Newtonian, and shear-thickening fluids by using the combined lattice Boltzmann-smoothed profile methods. Furthermore, the drag coefficient of one particle settling for different power-law indexes and Archimedes numbers was calculated. Also, the effect of the diameter ratio of the two particle pairs was considered during settling. The developed method was validated by simulating the settling of one particle and two identical particles in a Newtonian fluid. To consider two non-identical particles, two cases were examined. In Case A, the larger particle was above the smaller one and in the Case B, the smaller particle was above the larger one. The results showed that the two non-identical particles were separated more easily than the identical ones. In the settling of two particles under the same Archimedes number, the drafting and kissing time considerably increased by changing the non-Newtonian fluid behavior from a shear-thinning one to a shear-thickening one. Also, when the larger particle was above the smaller one, the time duration of the kissing stage increased with the decrease in the diameter ratio.

Graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites fabricated by in situ shear exfoliation of graphite in polymer solution: processing, rheology, microstructure, and properties

Effective methods are needed to fabricate the next generation of high-performance graphene-reinforced polymer matrix composites (G-PMCs). In this work, a versatile and fundamental process is demonstrated to produce high-quality graphene-polymethylmethacrylate (G-PMMA) composites via in situ shear exfoliation of well-crystallized graphite particles loaded in highly-viscous liquid PMMA/acetone solutions into graphene nanoflakes using a concentric-cylinder shearing device. Unlike other methods where graphene is added externally to the polymer and mixed, our technique is a single step process where as-exfoliated graphene can bond directly with the polymer with no contamination/handling. The setup also allows for the investigation of the rheology of exfoliation and dispersion, providing process understanding in the attainment of the subsequently heat injection-molded and solidified G-PMC, essential for future manufacturing scalability, optimization, and repeatability. High PMMA/acetone concentration correlates to high mixture viscosity, which at large strain rates results in very-high shear stresses, producing a large number of mechanically-exfoliated flakes, as confirmed by liquid-phase UV–visible spectral analysis. Raman spectroscopy and other imaging evince that single- and bi-layer graphene are readily achieved. Nevertheless, a limit is reached at high mixtures viscosities where the process becomes unstable as non-Newtonian fluid behavior (e.g. viscoelastic) dominates the system. Characterization of microstructure, morphology, and properties of this new class of nanostructured composites reveals interesting trends. Observations by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and helium ion microscopy of the manufactured G-PMCs show uniform distributions of unadulterated, well-bonded, discontinuous, graphene nanoflakes in a PMMA matrix, which enhances stiffness and strength via a load-transfer mechanism. Elastic modulus of 5.193 GPa and hardness of 0.265 GPa are achieved through processing at 0.7 g ml−1 of acetone/PMMA for 1% wt. starting graphite loading when injected into a sample mold at 200 °C. Mechanical properties exhibit 31% and 28.6% enhancement in elastic modulus and hardness, respectively, as measured by nano-indentation.

Preparation and Characterization of Biodegradable Composited Films Based on Potato Starch/Glycerol/Gelatin

The use of plastics is resisted worldwide. Therefore, finding alternatives to plastic packaging products is an urgent issue. This work was dedicated to the preparation of biodegradable composited films with potato starch, glycerol, and gelatin. The formulation of the biodegradable film was first optimized via response surface methodology combined with the multi-index comprehensive evaluation method that considered physical properties (thickness, water solution (WS), tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (E%)) and barrier property (light transmittance (T%)). Results indicated that the optimal conditions were 2.5% starch, 2.0% glycerol, and 1.5% gelatin (based on water). The optimized film presented excellent properties with TS of 4.47 MPa, E% of 109.91%, WS of 43.64%, and T% of 41.21% at 500 nm, and the comprehensive evaluation score of the composite film was 28.68. Moreover, a model verification experiment was further conducted, which proved that the predicted value highly matched experimental values, indicting the credibility and accuracy of the model. The resulting films were further characterized on the basis of rheological measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rheological measurements proved that the film-forming solution exhibited low shear viscosity and non-Newtonian fluid behavior. FTIR and SEM revealed excellent compatibility among starch, glycerol, and gelatin. Hence, the resulting optimized film may be expected to provide theoretical basis and technical support for the food packing industry.

Turbulent Bubble-Laden Channel Flow of Power-Law Fluids: A Direct Numerical Simulation Study

The influence of non-Newtonian fluid behavior on the flow statistics of turbulent bubble-laden downflow in a vertical channel is investigated. A Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) study is conducted for power-law fluids with power-law indexes of 0.7 (shear-thinning), 1 (Newtonian) and 1.3 (shear-thickening) in the liquid phase at a gas volume fraction of 6%. The flow is driven downward by a constant volumetric flow rate corresponding to a friction Reynolds number of Reτ≈127.3. The Eötvös number is varied between Eo=0.3125 and Eo=3.75 in order to investigate the influence of quasi-spherical as well as wobbling bubbles and thus the interplay of the bubble deformability with the power-law behavior of the liquid bulk. The resulting first- and second-order fluid statistics, i.e., the gas fraction, mean velocity and velocity fluctuation profiles across the channel, show clear trends in reply to varying power-law indexes. In addition, it was observed that the bubble oscillations increase with decreasing power-law index. In the channel core, the bubbles significantly increase the dissipation rate, which, in contrast to its behavior at the wall, shows similar orders of magnitude for all power-law indexes.

Behaviour of hydrodynamic journal bearing under the combined influence of textured surface and Non-Newtonian Rabinowitsch fluid model

In the present study, the static characteristics of hydrodynamic circular journal bearings of finite length are highlighted, using the combined influences of textured surface and non-Newtonian lubricants behavior, obeying to the Rabinowitsch fluid model. The associated nonlinear Rabinowitsch-Reynolds equation has been discretized using finite differences scheme and solved by the mean of Elrod’s algorithm taking into account the presence of cylindrical textures on full/optimum bearing surface. Following to the absence of textures on the bearing surface or the non-Newtonian fluid behavior, the obtained results are in good agreement with the reference ones. The hydrodynamic lubrication static performances are computed for various parameters such as textures location; eccentricity ratio and the rheological coeffcient. The results suggest that texturing the bearing’s convergent zone enhances significantly the load carrying capacity and reduces the friction coeffcient, whereas texturing the full bearing surface may leads to bad performances. It is also noticed that the pseudoplastic lubricant coeffcient decreases the bearing performances (load capacity and pressure) compared to Newtonian fluid cases. Considering the optimal arrangement of textures on the contact surface, a significant improvement in terms of load capacity and friction can be achieved, especially at low pseudoplasticity effect.

LBM-MRT simulation of vertical flow of a non-Newtonian fluid in a channel provided with obstacles

Forced convection heat transfer in channels with a block has been studied numerically. The vertical walls are differentially heated. The Lattice Boltzmann Method with multiple relaxation time (MRT) has been used to solve numerically the momentum and the heat transfer governing equations. This study details the effects of variations in the Reynolds number, Rayleigh number, and behavior index of fluid, to illustrate important fundamental and practical results. The results show that the recirculation caused by porous-covering block will significantly enhance the heat transfer rate on both top and right faces of second and subsequent blocks. In order to better understand the different elements of the study, we first analyzed the flow in a channel without obstacles in order to understand the behavior of non-Newtonian fluids. in such situations, we have observed that the speed profiles at establishment are essentially dependent on the behavior index, while the heat transfers are proportional to the Reynolds and Prandtl numbers but inversely to the behavior index.

Analysis and modeling of fractional electro-osmotic ramped flow of chemically reactive and heat absorptive/generative Walters'B fluid with ramped heat and mass transfer rates

In this contemporary era, fractional derivatives are widely used for the development of mathematical models to precisely describe the dynamics of real-world physical processes. In the field of fluid mechanics, analysis of thermal performance and flow behavior of non-Newtonian fluids is a topic of interest for a variety of researchers due to their significant applications in several industries, engineering operations, devices, and thermal equipment. The primary focus of this article is to investigate the effectiveness of jointly imposed time-controlled (ramped) boundary conditions in the electro-osmotic flow of a chemically reactive and radiative Walters' B fluid along with concentration and energy distributions. In Particular, the concept of using piece-wise time-dependent mass, motion, and energy conditions simultaneously for any non-Newtonian fluid is extensively explored in this work. The flow is developed due to the motion of the bounding vertical wall, which is suspended in a porous material subject to heat injection/absorption and uniform magnetic influences. Atangana-Baleanu derivative of order $ \psi $ is incorporated to establish the fractional form of ordinary modeled equations. Laplace transform method is adapted in light of some unit-less quantities to procure the exact solutions of the under observation model. Several graphical delineations are produced to comprehensively analyze the key characteristics of many physical and thermal parameters. To highlight the significance of operating surface conditions, solutions are compared for time-dependent and constant boundary conditions in every graph. Furthermore, the role of the fractional parameter, time-dependent conditions, and different other involved parameters in heat transfer, mass transfer, and flow rates is characterized by determining the expressions for Nusselt and Sherwood number and coefficient of skin friction. The numerical outcomes are organized in several tables to deeply scrutinize the noteworthy variations in the behavior of the aforementioned physical quantities. The graphical study reveals that the parameter $ E_s $ accounting for electro-osmotic effects decelerates the flow of fluid. At the atomic level, such electro-osmotic flows are useful in the separation processes of the liquids. The fractional parameter $ \psi $ attenuates thicknesses of boundary layers for the evolution of time $ t $ but, it exhibits an opposite role for smaller values of $ t $. It is also noted that the direct correspondence between velocity and time at the boundary for time duration $ t

Magneto-hydrodynamic flow of Reiner-Philippoff fluid: Stability analysis

Analysis of magneto-hydrodynamic flow of classical non-Newtonian fluid, Reiner-Philippoff fluid, over magnetized plate is conducted numerically in this article. The mathematical model incorporates the non-linear stress deformation behavior of Reiner-Philippoff fluid and set of Maxwell’s equations to discuss the behavior of non-Newtonian fluid in a magnetic field. Boundary layer equations are obtained assuming the Reynolds and magnetic Reynolds numbers to be large enough for magnetic and momentum boundary layers to have developed. The correlation expressions for skin friction and magnetic flux on the surface for different flow and magnetic field parameters are developed by performing linear regression on numerical data. Stability analysis is conducted as well to analyze the effects of magnetic field and fluid nature on the stability of the flow.

Electro-magnetohydrodynamic flow and heat transfer of a third-grade fluid using a Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer model

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the electro-magnetohydrodynamic behavior of a third-grade non-Newtonian fluid, flowing between a pair of parallel plates in the presence of electric and magnetic fields. The flow medium between the plates is porous. The effects of Joule heating and viscous energy dissipation are studied in the present study.Design/methodology/approachA semi-analytical/numerical method, the differential transform method, is used to obtain solutions for the system of the nonlinear differential governing equations. This solution technique is efficient and may be adapted to solve a variety of nonlinear problems in simple geometries, as it was confirmed by comparisons between the results using this method and those of a fully numerical scheme.FindingsThe results of the computations show that the Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer parameter and the third-grade fluid model parameter retards, whereas both parameters have an inverse effect on the temperature profile because the viscous dissipation increases. The presence of the magnetic field also enhances the temperature profile between the two plates but retards the velocity profile because it generates the opposing Lorenz force. A graphical comparison with previously published results is also presented as a special case of this study.Originality/valueThe obtained results are new and presented for the first time in the literature.

On the behaviour of roughened conical hybrid journal bearing system operating with MR lubricant

In the present work, a numerical simulation model for conical journal bearing system considering roughness features in the analysis is investigated. In present model, non-newtonian behaviour of MR fluid is expressed using Hershel-Bulkley model and an Asymmetrical Sigmoidal function has been used for shear yield stress relation of MR lubricant. Finally, the governing equations are solved using Finite Element Analysis and Newton-Raphson method. The results obtained corresponding to distinct performance indices indicates that isotropic and longitudinal roughness on journal bearing surfaces operated with MR lubricant improves the bearing performance but at the cost of frictional power loss. The outcome of these results may inspire practising designers for development of better tribo-components.

Packaging potential of Ipomoea batatas and κ‐carrageenan biobased composite edible film: Its rheological, physicomechanical, barrier and optical characterization

The present study aimed at developing composite edible film from a blend of Ipomoea batatas, κ-carrageenan, and glycerol. Three different treatments by varying glycerol concentrations (5%-TS1, 10%-TS2 & 15%-TS3) in film-forming solution were prepared and resultant films were evaluated for rheological, physicomechanical, barrier, and optical properties. All the treatments showed film-forming ability with varying degrees of distinction. The steady rheology of film-forming solution containing 10 and 15% glycerol in gel state showed non-Newtonian fluid behavior. Film solubility improved significantly (p < .01) with glycerol; however water vapor permeability of films had an intermediate value, comparable to other films reported in literature. Mechanical properties of films were excellent in terms of tensile strength, which reached 15 N/mm2. The films presented good optical properties relating to hunter colorimeter. Therefore, the composite blend of I. batatas and κ-carrageenan can be tailored with glycerol concentration to apply as edible film over different foods. Practical applications The demerits associated with plastics have eventually led researchers' to explore natural alternatives. Edible films are one of the prospering substitutes, but the films prepared from single polymer films are lacking mechanical strength. The composite blend of Ipomoea batatas and κ-carrageenan is having promising competence to be mold as packaging film with enhanced physicomechanical properties. Glycerol concentration is having an undeviating impact on physicomechanical properties of the film. Therefore, film processing protocol can be stringently controlled to have product-specific films for practical commercial applications.

Encapsulation in alginate-polymers improves stability and allows controlled release of the UFV-AREG1 bacteriophage

The bacteriophage UFV-AREG1 was used as a model organism to evaluate the encapsulation via extrusion using different hydrocolloids. Pure alginate [0.75%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% (m/v)] and mixtures of alginate [0.75% or 1.0% (m/v)] with carrageenan [1.25% (m/v)], chitosan [0.5% (m/v)], or whey protein [1.5% (m/v)] were used to produce bacteriophage-loaded beads. The encapsulating solutions presented flow behavior of non-Newtonian pseudoplastic fluids and the concentration of hydrocolloid did not influence (p > 0.05) the morphology of the beads, except for alginate-chitosan solutions, which presented the higher flow consistency index (K) and the lower flow behavior index (n). The encapsulation efficiency was about 99% and the confocal photomicrography of the encapsulated bacteriophages labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate showed homogenous distribution of the viral particles within the beads. The phages remained viable in the beads of alginate-whey protein even when submitted to pH 2.5 for 2 h. Beads incubated directly in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) resulted in a minimal of 50% release of the UFV-AREG1 phages after 5 min, even when previously submitted to the simulated gastric fluid (pH 2.5). Encapsulation enabled phages to remain viable under refrigeration for five months. Encapsulated UFV-AREG1 phages were sensitive to dehydration, suggesting the need for protective agents. In this study, for the first-time bacteriophages were encapsulated in alginate-carrageenan beads, as well as alginate-chitosan as a bead-forming hydrocolloid. In addition, a novel procedure for encapsulating bacteriophages in alginate-whey protein was proposed. The assembled system showed efficiency in the encapsulation of UFV-AREG1 bacteriophages using different hydrocolloids and has potential to be used for the entrapment of a variety of bioactive compounds.

Effect of Non-Newtonian Fluid Behavior on Forced Convection from a Cluster of Four Circular Cylinders in a Duct, Part I: Power-Law Fluids

Forced convection heat transfer in power-law fluids has been investigated numerically around four identical circular cylinders in a diamond array in a square enclosure. For the laminar flow, the governing equations have been solved numerically over the following ranges of parameters: Reynolds number (5 − 200), Prandtl number (0.7 − 100), power-law index (0.2 − 2) and center-to center gap between cylinders (0.3 − 0.7) to elucidate their influence. The detailed kinematics and engineering parameters are influenced by the gap between the cylinders via the development of multiple secondary flow regions and/or the splitting of incoming fluid stream. The drag on the trailing cylinders with reference to the lead cylinder can be up to ± ∼ 80% higher or lower depending upon the gap between the cylinders, power-law index and Reynolds numbers. In compact arrays, the drag becomes slightly negative due to the reverse flow for certain combinations of power-law index (< 1) and high Reynolds numbers (100 and 200). Similarly, the heat transfer affected by the subsequent cylinders ranges from 50-60% for the second cylinder which drops to ∼10% for the last cylinder. Finally, the functional dependence of the Nusselt number has been consolidated in terms of Reynolds number, Prandtl number, power-law index and the gap ratio.