FLUID-FLOW THROUGH HETEROGENEOUS POROUS-MEDIA IN A ROTATING SQUARE CHANNEL

An analytical three-dimensional solution to the fluid flow problem thr ough heterogeneous porous media in a rotating square channel is presen ted. The permeability of the fluid saturated porous domain varies in t he vertical direction, thus affecting the imposed main flow in the cha nnel. As a result of Coriolis acceleration, secondary circulation in a plane perpendicular to the main flow direction is created. A particul ar example of a monotonic distribution of the permeability function is analyzed leading to a single vortex secondary circulation. Neverthele ss, multiple vortex secondary flow solutions are possible depending on the particular variation of the permeability in the vertical directio n. No secondary motion is expected for isothermal flows in homogeneous porous media.