Capillary Orientation and Morphology Dictated Oscillatory Electro-magneto-imbibition of Viscoelastic Electrolytes

We explore the intricate dynamics of imbibition by a viscoelastic electrolyte within an arbitrarily oriented, nonuniform microcapillary, while under the stimulus of external electromagnetic fields and internal electroviscous forces stemming from streaming potential. The microcapillary walls are envisaged to be tapered relative to each other, with the entire system inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. The rheological behavior of the electrolyte is characterized using the Phan-Thien-Tanner (PTT) model. To manipulate the imbibition dynamics, external transverse magnetic and electric fields are imposed. Incorporating all contributing forces, we obtain semianalytical formulations for the velocity and shear stress distributions. We identify distinct stages during the imbibition process: (i) initial, (ii) filling, (iii) oscillatory, and (iv) stagnation stages. Moreover, we scrutinize the impact of four pivotal parameters, namely, the Weissenberg number (Wi), the Hartmann number (Ha), the transverse electric to viscous force (EVF) number (<i>S</i>), and the electric Reynolds number (Re_e), on the imbibition dynamics across different inclinations and taper angles. We also delineate the parameter space for these four parameters, identifying where the onset of oscillations occurs. Finally, through scaling analysis, we establish the existence of four distinct regimes corresponding to the aforementioned stages: (i) the linear regime, (ii) the Washburn regime, (iii) the oscillatory regime, and (iv) the equilibrium regime. Our findings are anticipated to enhance the understanding of capillary imbibition under such complex flow conditions and contribute significantly to the advancement of capillarity-driven microfluidic devices.