Similarity Solutions for Boundary Layer Flows on a Moving Surface in Non-Newtonian Power-Law Fluids

A similarity analysis of the boundary layer flow caused by the motion of a semi-infinite flat sulface in a non-Newtonian power-law fluid at rest is made in this paper. These similar solutions fall into two categories: similarity solutions corresponding to steady boundary layers over moving surfaces and similarity solutions corresponding to unsteady boundary layers past moving flat surfaces, respectively. Except in the special case n = 1/2 (pseudoplastic) and n = 1 (Newtonian) fluids, solutions of the first category problems must be obtainednumerically. However, for the second category analytical solutions are possible for a large class of pseudoplasticfluids (n < 1), including the case of a Newtonianfluid (n = 1)

Application of differential transform method to unsteady free convective heat transfer of a couple stress fluid over a stretching sheet

In the present article, the transient rheological boundary layer flow over a stretching sheet with heat transfer is investigated, a topic of relevance to non-Newtonian thermal materials processing. Stokes couple stress model is deployed to simulate non-Newtonian characteristics. Similarity transformations are utilized to convert the governing partial differential equations into nonlinear ordinary differential equations with appropriate wall and free stream boundary conditions. The non-dimensional boundary value problem emerging is shown to be controlled by a number of key thermophysical and rheological parameters, namely the rheological couple stress parameter, unsteadiness parameter, Prandtl number (Pr), buoyancy parameter. The semi-analytical Differential Transform Method (DTM) is used to solve the reduced nonlinear coupled ordinary differential boundary value problem. A numerical solution is also obtained via the MATLAB built in solver ‘bvp4c’ to validate the results. Further validation with published results from the literature is included. Fluid velocity is enhanced with increasing couple stress parameter whereas it is decreased with unsteadiness parameter. Temperature is elevated with couple stress parameter whereas it is initially reduced with unsteadiness parameter. The flow is accelerated with increasing positive buoyancy parameter (for heating of the fluid) whereas it is decelerated with increasing negative buoyancy parameter (cooling of the fluid). Temperature and thermal boundary layer thickness are boosted with increasing positive values of buoyancy parameter. Increasing Prandtl number decelerates the flow, reduces temperatures, increases momentum boundary layer thickness and decreases thermal boundary layer thickness. Excellent accuracy is achieved with the DTM approach

Computational study of unsteady couple stress magnetic nanofluid flow from a stretching sheet with ohmic dissipation

To provide a deeper insight of the transport phenomena inherent to the manufacturing of magnetic nano-polymer materials, in the present work a mathematical model is developed for time-dependent hydromagnetic rheological nanopolymer boundary layer flow and heat transfer over a stretching sheet in the presence of a transverse static magnetic field. Joule heating (Ohmic dissipation) and viscous heating effects are included since these phenomena arise frequently in magnetic materials processing. Stokes’ couple stress model is deployed to simulate non-Newtonian micro-structural characteristics. The Tiwari-Das nanoscale model is adopted which permits different nano-particles to be simulated (in this article both copper-water and aluminium oxide-water nanofluids are considered). Similarity transformations are utilized to convert the governing partial differential conservation equations into a system of coupled, nonlinear ordinary differential equations with appropriate wall and free stream boundary conditions. The shooting technique is used to solve the reduced nonlinear coupled ordinary differential boundary value problem via MATLAB symbolic software. Validation with published results from the literature is included for the special cases of non-dissipative and Newtonian nanofluid flows. Fluid velocity and temperature profiles for both Copper and Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3) nanofluids are observed to be enhanced with greater non-Newtonian couple stress parameter and magnetic parameter whereas the opposite trend is computed with greater values of unsteadiness parameter. The boundary layer flow is accelerated with increasing buoyancy parameter, elastic sheet stretching parameter and convection parameter. Temperatures are generally increased with greater couple stress rheological parameter and are consistently higher for the Aluminium oxide nanoparticle case. Temperatures are also boosted with magnetic parameter and exhibit an overshoot near the wall when magnetic parameter exceeds unity (magnetic force exceeds viscous force). A decrease in temperatures is induced with increasing sheet stretching parameter. Increasing Eckert number elevates temperatures considerably. With greater nanoparticle volume fraction both skin friction and Nusselt number are elevated and copper nano-particles achieve higher magnitudes than aluminium oxide