Numerical Investigation of Thermally Developing and Fully Developed Electro-Osmotic Flow in Channels with Rounded Corners

Electro-osmotic flow, that is, the motion of a polar fluid in microducts induced by an external electric field, is one micro-effect which allows circulation without use mechanical pumping. This interest thermal management electronic devices, as microchannels with cross sections almost arbitrary shape can easily be integrated on chips. It therefore important to assess how geometry channel influences heat transfer performance. In this paper, entry region and fully developed electro-osmotic flow microchannel rectangular section smoothed corners investigated for uniform wall temperature. For region, correlations Poiseuille Nusselt numbers considering aspect ratio nondimensional smoothing radius are given, used practical design purposes. thermally developing it highlighted increases value local number, up 18% over sharp corners, but also shortens length. found Joule heating may cause reversal flux, length has linear dependence Reynolds number hydraulic diameter logarithm heating.