Flow of a Bingham fluid in a slightly curved tube (Q1199206)

The steady laminar flow of a non-Newtonian fluid through a curved tube of circular cross-section is analysed by using boundary layer approximation. The non-Newtonian property of the fluid is expressed by a Bingham model used for describing the flows of polymers and blood oxygenators. The analysis has been carried out for large values of Dean number \(K=Re\cdot(a/R)^{1/2}\); where \(Re\) is the Reynolds number, \(a\) is the radius of circular cross-section of the tube, and \(R\) is the radius of curvature of the tube axis. The momentum integral approach is used to reduce the governing equations to a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. These equations have been solved numerically by a Runge-Kutta-Merson method. The influence of yield number on the velocity distribution and frictional resistance at large Dean number have studied, and the results have been compared with Casson fluid possessing the same yield value.