Peristaltic pumping of a particle-fluid suspension in a catheterized circular tube has
been investigated. The coupled differential equations for both the fluid and the
particle phases have been solved and the expressions for the flow rate, pressure drop,
friction forces at the tube and the catheter wall have been derived. It is found that the
pressure drop, ∆p decreases with increasing flow rate, Q for any given value of the
slip parameter, α Darcy number, K1/2 amplitude ratio, particle concentration and
catheter size. Also for any given flow rate and the catheter size, pressure drop
decreases with the particle concentration, and assumes significantly higher magnitude
in a catheterized tube than its corresponding value in uncatheterized tube. The friction
forces, F (at tube as well as the catheter wall) possess characteristics similar to the
pressure drop (an opposite characteristics to the pressure rise) with respect to any
parameter. The friction force at the tube wall is found to be significantly higher in
magnitude than the corresponding friction force at the catheter wall.