Non-Newtonian Power-Law Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer over a Non-Linearly Stretching Surface

Kerehalli Vinayaka Prasad, Seetharaman Rajeswari Santhi, Pampanna Somanna Datti

Department of Mathematics, Central College Campus, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India.
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Centre for Applicable Mathematics, Bangalore, India.

DOI: 10.4236/am.2012.35065                

Abstract

The problem of magneto-hydrodynamic flow and heat transfer of an electrically conducting non-Newtonian power-law fluid past a non-linearly stretching surface in the presence of a transverse magnetic field is considered. The stretching velocity, the temperature and the transverse magnetic field are assumed to vary in a power-law with the distance from the origin. The flow is induced due to an infinite elastic sheet which is stretched in its own plane. The governing equations are reduced to non-linear ordinary differential equations by means of similarity transformations. These equations are then solved numerically by an implicit finite-difference scheme known as Keller-Box method. The numerical solution is found to be dependent on several governing parameters, including the magnetic field parameter, power-law index, velocity exponent parameter, temperature exponent parameter, Modified Prandtl number and heat source/sink parameter. A systematic study is carried out to illustrate the effects of these parameters on the fluid velocity and the temperature distribution in the boundary layer. The results for the local skin-friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are tabulated and discussed. The results obtained reveal many interesting behaviors that warrant further study on the equations related to non-Newtonian fluid phenomena.

Keywords

Boundary Layer Flow; Magneto-Hydrodynamic Flow; Power-Law Fluid; Stretching Sheet; Modified Prandtl Number; Heat Source/Sink Parameter

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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