Computational study of non-Newtonian electro-osmotic flow between micro-parallel plates subject to Joule heating and exothermic reactions

Abstract

This paper thoroughly examines the complex dynamics of non-Newtonian electro-osmotic flow (EOF) across micro-parallel plates, which is crucial for the advancement of micro-fluidic technology. Our research focuses on investigating the effects of Joule heating and exothermic reactions on flow characteristics and temperature distributions in these systems. The Debye-Hückel approximation and a Nahme-type law are employed to, respectively, model the Poisson-Boltzmann body force and temperature-dependent fluid viscosity. Efficient and robust computational algorithms based on the finite difference methods (FDM) are implemented to obtain the numerical solutions. The solutions are qualitatively discussed, highlighting the sensitivity to variations in various embedded flow parameters. The results of our study demonstrate that the combination of Joule heating and exothermic reactions significantly influences the electro-osmotic flow (EOF), resulting in major variations in fluid velocity and temperature distributions.