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Abstract
The differential transform method (DTM) is semi-numerical method which is used to study the steady, laminar buoyancy-driven convection heat transfer of a particulate biofluid suspension in a channel containing a porous material. A two-phase continuum model is used. A set of variables is implemented to reduce the ordinary differential equations for momentum and energy conservation (for both phases) to a dimensionless system. DTM solutions are obtained for the dimensionless system under appropriate boundary conditions. We examine the influence of momentum inverse Stokes number (Skm), Darcy number (Da), Forchheimer number (Fs), particle loading parameter (pL), particle-phase wall slip parameter (Ω) and buoyancy parameter (B) on the fluid-phase velocity (U) and particle-phase velocity (Up). Padé approximants are also employed to achieve satisfaction of boundary conditions. Excellent correlation is obtained between the DTM and numerical quadrature solutions. The results indicate that there is a strong decrease in fluid-phase velocities with increasing Darcian (first-order) drag and the second-order Forchheimer drag, and a weaker reduction in particle-phase velocity field. Fluid and particle-phase velocities are also strongly affected with inverse momentum Stokes number. DTM is shown to be a powerful tool providing engineers with an alternative simulation approach to other traditional methods for multi-phase computational biofluid mechanics. The model finds applications in haemotological separation and biotechnological processing.
Acknowledgements
MMR gratefully acknowledges one year as invited professor in Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), during 2010–2011. The authors also acknowledge the comments of the reviewers which have served to improve this article.