Viscous energy dissipation in slender channels with porous or semipermeable walls

Abstract

We study the viscous dissipation in pipe flows in long channels with porous or semipermeable walls, taking into account both the dissipation in the bulk of the channel and in the pores. We give simple closed form expressions for the dissipation in terms of the axially varying flow rate $Q(x)$ and the pressure $p(x)$, generalizing the well known expression $\dot W=Q\,\Delta p$ for the case of impenetrable walls with constant $Q$ and a pressure difference $\Delta p$ between the ends of the pipe. When the pressure $p_0$ outside the pipe is constant, the result is the straightforward generalization $\dot W=\Delta \left[(p-p_0) \,Q\right]$. Finally, applications to osmotic flows are considered.