Peristaltic Flow Dynamics in Complex Geometries

Peristaltic flow arises from travelling waves along flexible or deformable boundaries and underpins transport in biological systems and advanced microfluidic devices. In channels with complex geometries—such as wavy walls, curved conduits or multi‐layered structures—the interplay between boundary motion, fluid rheology and spatial variation gives rise to asymmetric flow profiles, trapping phenomena and enhanced mixing. Theoretical approaches typically employ long‐wavelength and low‐Reynolds‐number approximations, complemented by computational fluid dynamics and bifurcation analysis to capture multiple steady states and transitions. Practical applications extend from biomimetic micropumps and organ‐on‐chip platforms to industrial handling of hazardous or non‐Newtonian materials. Recent advances integrate non‐Newtonian rheology, electrokinetic forces and magnetohydrodynamic effects within irregular boundaries, highlighting the need to combine multi‐physics models with experimental validation to optimise device performance and scale‐up strategies in medical and engineering contexts.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have explored electroosmotic peristalsis of a viscoplastic Bingham fluid in a wavy microchannel. Through analytical and numerical bifurcation analysis, researchers identified multiple equilibrium states, non-classical trapping phenomena and global bifurcations that depend on electrical double‐layer thickness and Helmholtz‐Smoluchowski velocity. The work demonstrated how adjusting electrokinetic parameters can regulate the location and stability of stagnation points, offering a novel means to control peristaltic transport in microfluidic environments. This combines viscoplastic flow theory with electroosmotic driving in complex geometries, providing a foundation for precision manipulation of fluids with yield-stress behaviour.

Peristaltic Flow Dynamics in Complex Geometries publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in peristaltic flow dynamics in complex geometries across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Peristalsis: Sequential contraction and relaxation of channel walls to drive fluid motion.

Non-Newtonian fluid: Fluid whose viscosity changes with applied shear rate or stress.

Bingham fluid: Viscoplastic material exhibiting a threshold (yield stress) below which it behaves as a solid.

Micropolar fluid: Fluid with suspended microstructure whose particles can rotate, affecting stress and flow.

Electroosmosis: Flow induced by an electric field acting on the charged double layer at a solid–liquid interface.

Bifurcation: Qualitative change in the number or stability of flow solutions as system parameters vary.

References

1. Silent Pumpers: A Comparative Topical Overview of the Peristaltic Pumping Principle in Living Nature, Engineering, and Biomimetics. Advanced Intelligent Systems (2019).
2. Dynamic patterns of electroosmosis peristaltic flow of a Bingham fluid model in a complex wavy microchannel. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Channel flow of Ellis fluid due to peristalsis. AIP Advances (2015).
4. Flow Analysis of Two‐Layer Nano/Johnson–Segalman Fluid in a Blood Vessel‐like Tube with Complex Peristaltic Wave. Mathematical Problems in Engineering (2022).
5. Numerical study at moderate Reynolds number of peristaltic flow of micropolar fluid through a porous-saturated channel in magnetic field. AIP Advances (2018).