Analytical solutions for velocity, temperature and concentration distribution in electroosmotic microchannel flows of a non-Newtonian bio-fluid

In this paper, analytical solutions are derived, describing the transport characteristics of a non-Newtonian fluid flow in a rectangular microchannel, under the sole influence of electrokinetic forces. Apart from estimating the fully-developed velocity and temperature distributions, an explicit expression is derived for solutal concentration distribution within the microchannel. Finally, as an illustrative case study, the flow behaviour of a blood sample is analyzed, in which the flow parameters are modeled as functions of the hematocrit fraction in the sample. It is revealed that a higher hematocrit fraction may result in significant reductions in species concentration levels, on account of stronger dispersions in the velocity profiles, characterized by more significant viscous effects. It is also demonstrated that cases in which characteristic length scale of RBC suspensions turns out to be consequential relative to the microchannel dimensions, a significant augmentation in the electroosmotic transport may occur. Such observations can be of particular significance in the design of electroosmotically actuated bio-microfluidic systems as efficient solutal carriers. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.