Physics of generalized couette flow of immiscible fluids in anisotropic porous medium

Abstract

This study presents an investigation on the generalized Couette flow of two immiscible Newtonian fluids in an anisotropic porous medium. The flow occurs between two parallel plates, driven by the combined effects of an axial pressure gradient and the movement of the upper plate. The region between the plates is filled with an anisotropic porous medium characterized by directional permeability. An exact solution is derived for the proposed problem by considering appropriate boundary and interface conditions. The slip condition is employed at the lower plate of the channel which has a significant role in the flow mechanics of fluids flowing through porous medium. The effects of directional permeability on the flow of immiscible fluids are explored, and specific cases are presented. This study reveals a significant influence of directional permeability on the flow velocity of both fluids. Furthermore, quantitative conclusions are drawn regarding the shear stress at the lower and upper wall of the channel, with implications for the anisotropic nature of blood arteries. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of fluid flow in anisotropic porous media and have potential applications in various engineering domains.