Flow of two immiscible non-Newtonian fluids in an elastic tube

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the flow of two-layered non-Newtonian fluids with different viscosities in an axisymmetric elastic tube. Design/methodology/approach A mathematical model was considered for this study to describe the flow characteristics of two-layered non- Newtonian Jeffrey fluids in an elastic tube. Because Jeffrey fluid model is a better model for the description of physiological fluid motion. Further, this model is a significant generalization of Newtonian fluid model. Analytical expressions for flux, stream functions, velocities and interface velocity have been derived in terms of elastic parameters, inlet, outlet and external pressures. The effects of various pertinent parameters on the flow behavior have been studied. Findings The volumetric flow rate was calculated by different models of Mazumdar (1992) and Rubinow and Keller (1972); from this it was found that the flux of Jeffrey fluid is more in the case of Rubinow and Keller model than Mazumdar. A comparative study is made between single-fluid and two-fluid models of Jeffrey fluid flows and it was observed that more flux and higher velocities were observed in the case of two-fluid model rather than single-fluid model. Furthermore, when both the Jeffrey parameter tends to zero and ratios of viscosities and radii are unity, the results in this study agree with those of Rubinow and Keller (1972). Originality/value To describe the fluid flow in an elastic tube with two-layered systems, the models and solutions developed here are very important. These results will be highly suitable in analyzing the rheological characteristics of blood flow in a small blood vessel because of their elastic nature.