Impacts of activation energy and electroosmosis on peristaltic motion of micropolar Newtonian nanofluid inside a microchannel

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of electroosmosis on the peristaltic flow of unsteady micropolar nanofluid with heat transfer. The findings could enhance the design of peristaltic pumps, potentially improving drug delivery systems, simulations of blood flow in medical devices, and cancer treatments. The fluid under investigation adheres to a micropolar model and flows through a microchannel that exhibits peristalsis along its walls. Moreover, the system is subjected to various external effects, including a uniform magnetic field, the electroosmotic phenomenon, heat absorption, and a chemical reaction with activation energy. Consequently, the problem is mathematically modulated by a system of nonlinear partial differential equations governing the velocity, temperature, and nanoparticle concentration. By employing wave transformation, these governing equations are reduced to ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The reduced equations were solved both analytically, using the homotopy perturbation method, and numerically, using the Runge–Kutta–Merson method. A comparison was made between the solutions, which were found to be closely aligned. Furthermore, a series of figures were employed to provide visual representation and discussion of the implications of the physical properties. The calculations reveal that the electroosmotic flow (EOF) enhances the axial flow of the micropolar fluid along the direction of the applied electric field. It is also observed that the increase in the activation energy (which indicates a low reaction rate) increases the concentration profile whereas the increase in the reaction rate parameter reduces the concentration profile. Additionally, the spin velocity of the particles is diminished by either an increase in the magnetic parameter or the coupling parameter.