Interface analysis of a combined electroosmotic/pressure driven flow of three viscoelastic immiscible fluids in a microchannel

This paper presents the analytical solution of a combined electroosmotic/pressure driven flow of three viscoelastic immiscible fluids in a parallel flat plate microchannel. The mathematical model is based in the Poisson-Boltzmann equation and Cauchy momentum conservation equation. In the steady state analysis, we consider that the three fluids are electric conductors and obey to the simplified Phan-Thien-Tanner rheological model; therefore, different conditions at the interface between the fluids as electric slip, surface charge density and electro-viscous stresses balance are discussed in detail. Results show the transport phenomena coupled in the description of the velocity profiles, by the analyzing of the dimensionless parameters obtained, such as: the electric slips, the electric permittivities ratios, the surface charge densities, the zeta potentials at the walls, the interfaces positions, the viscosity ratios, the viscoelastic and electrokinetic parameters, and the term involving the external pressure gradient. Here, the presence of a net electric charges balance at the interface, breaks the continuity of shear viscous stresses, modifying the flow field; hence, for the established electric conditions at the interface through the values of the electric slips and the surface charge densities, play a role like a switch on the flow behavior. This investigation extends the knowledge about the techniques on the control of immiscible non-Newtonian fluids in microescale.