Investigation of Stokes flow in a grooved channel using the spectral method

Abstract: Pressure-driven Newtonian fluid flow between grooved and flat surfaces is analysed with no-slip boundary conditions at walls. The effect of corrugation on the fluid flow is investigated using the mesh-free spectral method. The primary aim of the present work is to develop an asymptotic/semi-analytical theory for confined transverse flows to bridge the gap between the limits of thin and thick channels. The secondary aim is to calculate permeability with reference to the effect of wall corrugation (roughness) without the restriction of pattern amplitude. We performed mathematical modelling and evaluated the analytical solution for hydraulic permeability with respect to the flat channel. The Pade´ approximate is employed to improve the solution accuracy of an asymptotic model. The results elucidate that permeability always follows a decreasing trend with increasing pattern amplitude using the spectral approach at the long-wave and short-wave limits. The prediction of the spectral model is more accurate than the asymptotic-based model by Stroock et al. (Anal Chem 74(20):5306, 2002) and Pade´ approximate, regardless of the grooved depth and wavelength of the channel. The finite-element-based numerical simulation is also used to understand the usefulness of theoretical models. A very low computational time is required using the mesh-free spectral model as compared to the numerical study. The agreement between the present model and the fully resolved numerical results is gratifying. Regarding numerical values, we calculated the relative error for different theoretical models such as an asymptotic model, Pade´ approximate, and a mesh-free spectral model. The spectral model always predicts the maximum relative error as less than 3%, regardless of the large pattern amplitude and wavelength. In addition, the results of the molecular dynamic (MD) simulations by Guo et al. (Phys Rev Fluids 1(7):074102, 2016) and the theoretical model by Wang (Phys Fluids 15(5):1121, 2003) are found to be quantitatively compatible with the predictions of effective slip length from the spectral model in the thick channel limit. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.)