Longhua Zhao, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


Flow through  sinusoidal channels  

Abstract:  The steady pressure-driven flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid through an axisymmetric  channel where the boundary varies sinusoidally is studied numerically with FreeFEM++.  The effects that the amplitude and the wavelength of the sinusoidal corrugation have on  the drag exerted by air flow on  the channel are studied with the aim of establishing an effective drag coefficient.  The drag vs. Reynolds number is computed and compared to that of a straight channel. For  low Reynolds number, the velocity profile, pressure drop and the drag force are predicted by  the lubrication approximation and the code is validated against these analytical results. Work for high Reynolds number flows is in progress. This project is part of a larger plan  that aims at establishing how mucus is cleared by air flow in lung airways.

Advisors: Roberto Camassa and Rich McLaughlin (UNC)