Paper 4, Section II, B
Part II, 2011
A viscous fluid flows along a slowly varying thin channel between no-slip surfaces at and under the action of a pressure gradient . After explaining the approximations and assumptions of lubrication theory, including a comment on the reduced Reynolds number, derive the expression for the volume flux
as well as the equation
In peristaltic pumping, the surface has a periodic form in space which propagates at a constant speed , i.e. , and no net pressure gradient is applied, i.e. the pressure gradient averaged over a period vanishes. Show that the average flux along the channel is given by
where denotes an average over one period.