HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF POWER-LAW FLUIDS IN A HYDROPHOBIC MICROCHANNEL

In this work, we have investigated the thermal transport characteristics of power-law fluids past through a hydrophobic microchannel. The flow is driven electrokinetically by an imposed electric field. Mathematical model is developed to determine the solution of the electrical potential equation, momentum equation, and energy equation. Specifically, for arbitrary zeta potentials, the potential distribution within the channel was obtained by solving Poisson-Boltzmann equation without Debye-Hückel approximation. Typical results are presented graphically and discussed in depth. It is found that the Nusselt number is significantly affected by several major parameters, such as the slip parameter, flow behavior index, length scale ratio, and zeta potential.