Abstract
The creeping flow of an incompressible, bounded micropolar fluid past a porous shell is investigated. The porous shell is modeled using a Darcy equation, sandwiched between a pair of transition Brinkman regions. Analytical expressions for the stream function, pressure, and microrotations are given for each region. Streamline patterns are presented for variations in hydraulic resistivity, micropolar constants, porous layer thickness, and Ochoa-Tapia stress jump coefficient. An expression for the dimensionless drag for the unbounded case of the system is presented, and its variation with hydraulic resistivity and porous shell thickness is presented. The unbounded case represents a theoretical model for oral drug delivery using porous microspheres. It was found that optimal circulation between the porous region and the outer fluid occurred for low values of hydraulic resistivity and for a complete porous sphere.
Publisher
European Open Science Publishing