Mathematical model for a Herschel-Bulkley fluid flow in an elastic tube

The constitution of blood demands a yield stress fluid model, and among the available yield stress fluid models for blood flow, the Herschel-Bulkley model is preferred (because Bingham, Power-law and Newtonian models are its special cases). The Herschel-Bulkley fluid model has two parameters, namely the yield stress and the power law index. The expressions for velocity, plug flow velocity, wall shear stress, and the flux flow rate are derived. The flux is determined as a function of inlet, outlet and external pressures, yield stress, and the elastic property of the tube. Further when the power-law index n = 1 and the yield stress τ0 → 0, our results agree well with those of Rubinow and Keller [J. Theor. Biol. 35, 299 (1972)]. Furthermore, it is observed that, the yield stress and the elastic parameters (t1 and t2) have strong effects on the flux of the non-Newtonian fluid flow in the elastic tube. The results obtained for the flow characteristics reveal many interesting behaviors that warrant further study on the non-Newtonian fluid flow phenomena, especially the shear-thinning phenomena. Shear thinning reduces the wall shear stress. © 2011 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Wien