Nanofluid flow and heat transfer in a microchannel with interfacial electrokinetic effects

The behaviour of microchannel flow of a nanofluid between two parallel flat plates in the presence of the electrical double layer (EDL) is investigated in this paper. The problem is formulated based on the Buongiorno nanofluid model with the electrical body force due to the EDL being considered in the momentum equation. As one of the highlights of the present investigation, the unphysical assumption introduced in previous studies often leading to the discontinuities of flow field that the electrostatic potential in the middle of the channel has to be equal to zero is eliminated. In addition, the inappropriate assumption that the pressure constant is treated as a known condition is also rectified. The new model is developed with the governing equations being reduced by a set of dimensionless quantities to a set of coupled ordinary differential equations. Based on the analytical approximations, the influences of various physical parameters on the flow field and temperature field, and the important physical quantities of practical interests are analysed and discussed in detail.