Abstract

A mathematical study is presented to analyze the nonlinear, non-isothermal, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) free convection boundary layer flow, heat and mass transfer of non-Newtonian Eyring–Powell fluid from a vertical surface in a non-Darcy, isotropic, homogenous porous medium, in the presence of Hall currents and ionslip currents. The governing nonlinear coupled partial differential equations for momentum conservation in the x, and z directions, heat and mass conservation, in the flow regime are transformed from an (x, y, z) coordinate system to a (ξ, η) coordinate system in terms of dimensionless x-direction velocity (f′) and z-direction velocity (G), dimensionless temperature and concentration functions (θ and ϕ) under appropriate boundary conditions. Both Darcian and Forchheimer porous impedances are incorporated in both momentum equations. Computations are also provided for the variation of the x and z direction shear stress components and also heat and mass transfer rates. It is observed that with increasing ɛ, primary velocity, secondary velocity, heat and mass transfer rates are decreased whereas, the temperature, concentration and skin friction are increased. An increasing δ is found to increase primary and secondary velocities, skin friction, heat and mass transfer rates. But the temperature and concentration decrease. Increasing βe and βi are seen to increase primary velocity, skin friction, heat and mass transfer rates whereas secondary velocity, temperature and concentration are decreased. Excellent correlation is achieved with a Nakamura tridiagonal finite difference scheme (NTM). The model finds applications in magnetic materials processing, MHD power generators and purification of crude oils.

Abstract

Casson fluid flow has many practical applications such as food processing, metallurgy, drilling operations and bio-engineering operations. In this paper, we study Casson fluid flow through a plate with a convective boundary condition at the surface and quantify the effects of suction/injection, velocity ratio, and Soret and Dufour effects. Firstly we used a similarity transformation to change the governing equations to ordinary differential equations which were then solved numerically. The effect of the rheological parameters on the velocity, temperature, and concentration with skin friction, and heat and mass transfer are shown graphically and discussed briefly. It is observed that the velocity of the fluid at the surface decreases with increase of the velocity ratio while the nature of the flow is in opposite characteristics. The local Nusselt number decreases with increase in the velocity ratio. Skin friction at the surface is enhanced by buoyancy ratio and Casson number. Due to injection of the fluid in the system, the mass transfer rate at the surface increases while it decreases with the velocity ratio parameter.