Falkner-Skan boundary layer flow of a power-law fluid past a stretching wedge

The steady two-dimensional laminar boundary layer flow of a power-law fluid past a permeable stretching wedge beneath a variable free stream is studied in this paper. Using appropriate similarity variables, the governing equations are reduced to a single third order highly nonlinear ordinary differential equation in the dimensionless stream function, which is solved numerically using the Runge-Kutta scheme coupled with a conventional shooting procedure. The flow is governed by the wedge velocity parameter λ, the transpiration parameter f₀, the fluid power-law index n, and the computed wall shear stress is f″(0). It is found that dual solutions exist for each value of f₀, m and n considered in λ − f″(0) parameter space. A stability analysis for this self-similar flow reveals that for each value of f₀, m and n, lower solution branches are unstable while upper solution branches are stable. Very good agreements are found between the results of the present paper and that of Weidman et al. [28] for n = 1 (Newtonian fluid) and m = 0 (Blasius problem [31]).     

Analytical solution of magnetohydrodynamic stagnation-point flow of a power-law fluid towards a stretching surface

A new kind of analytic technique, namely the homotopy analysis method (HAM), is employed to give an explicit analytical solution of the steady two-dimensional stagnation-point flow of an electrically conducting power-law fluid over a stretching surface when the surface is stretched in its own plane with a velocity proportional to the distance from the stagnation-point. A uniform transverse magnetic field is applied normal to the surface. An explicit analytical solution is given by recursive formulae for the first-order power-law (Newtonian) fluid when the ratio of free stream velocity and stretching velocity is not equal to unity. For second and real order power-law fluids, an analytical approach is proposed for magnetic field parameter in a quite large range. All of our analytical results agree well with numerical results. The results obtained by HAM suggest that the solution of the problem under consideration converges.     

On boundary layer flow of a Sisko fluid over a stretching sheet

Abstract

In this paper, the steady boundary layer flow of a non-Newtonian fluid over a nonlinear stretching sheet is investigated. The Sisko fluid model, which is combination of power-law and Newtonian fluids in which the fluid may exhibit shear thinning/thickening behaviors, is considered. The boundary layer equations are derived for the two-dimensional flow of an incompressible Sisko fluid. Similarity transformations are used to reduce the governing nonlinear equations and then solved analytically using the homotopy analysis method. In addition, closed form exact analytical solutions are provided for n = 0 and n = 1. Effects of the pertinent parameters on the boundary layer flow are shown and solutions are contrasted with the power-law fluid solutions.     

Effects of thermal radiation on the boundary layer flow of a Jeffrey fluid over an exponentially stretching surface

In the present investigation we have analyzed the boundary layer flow of a Jeffrey fluid over an exponentially stretching surface. The effects of thermal radiation are carried out for two cases of heat transfer analysis known as (1) Prescribed exponential order surface temperature (PEST) and (2) Prescribed exponential order heat flux (PEHF). The highly nonlinear coupled partial differential equations of Jeffrey fluid flow along with the energy equation are simplified by using similarity transformation techniques based on boundary layer assumptions. The reduced similarity equations are then solved analytically by the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The convergence of the HAM series solution is obtained by plotting (^h/_2p)\hbar-curves for velocity and temperature. The effects of physical parameters on the velocity and temperature profiles are examined by plotting graphs.     

Approximate analytical solutions of a class of boundary layer equations over nonlinear stretching surface

Third order nonlinear ordinary differential equations, subject to appropriate boundary conditions arising in fluid dynamics, are solved using three different methods viz., the Dirichlet series, method of stretching of variables, and asymptotic function method. Similarity transformations are used to convert the governing partial differential equations into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The numerical results obtained from the above methods for various problems are given in terms of skin friction. Our study revealed that the results obtained from these methods agree well with those of direct numerical simulation of ordinary differential equations. Also, these methods have advantages over pure numerical methods in obtaining derived quantities such as velocity profile accurately for various values of the parameters at a stretch.     

MHD power-law fluid flow and heat transfer over a non-isothermal stretching sheet

This article presents a numerical solution for the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) non-Newtonian power-law fluid flow over a semi-infinite non-isothermal stretching sheet with internal heat generation/absorption. The flow is caused by linear stretching of a sheet from an impermeable wall. Thermal conductivity is assumed to vary linearly with temperature. The governing partial differential equations of momentum and energy are converted into ordinary differential equations by using a classical similarity transformation along with appropriate boundary conditions. The intricate coupled non-linear boundary value problem has been solved by Keller box method. It is important to note that the momentum and thermal boundary layer thickness decrease with increase in the power-law index in presence/absence of variable thermal conductivity.     

Three-dimensional flow over a stretching surface in a viscoelastic fluid

This article looks at the hydrodynamic elastico-viscous fluid over a stretching surface. The equations governing the flow are reduced to ordinary differential equations, which are analytically solved by applying an efficient technique namely the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The solutions for the velocity components are computed. The numerical values of wall skin friction coefficients are also tabulated. The present HAM solution is compared with the known exact solution for the two-dimensional flow and an excellent agreement is found.     

Analytical solution of stagnation-point flow of a viscoelastic fluid towards a stretching surface

In this paper the problem of stagnation-point flow of a viscoelastic fluid towards a stretching surface [T.R. Mahapatra, A.S. Gupta, Stagnation-point flow of a viscoelastic fluid towards a stretching surface, Int. J. Non-Linear Mech. 39 (2004) 811] is solved analytically by using the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The results for velocity and temperature profiles are obtained. It is noted that the behavior of the HAM solution for velocity and temperature profiles is in good agreement with the numerical solution given in reference [T.R. Mahapatra, A.S. Gupta, Stagnation-point flow of a viscoelastic fluid towards a stretching surface, Int. J. Non-Linear Mech. 39 (2004) 811].     

MHD stagnation-point flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid over a stretching surface

The present analysis comprises the steady two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic flow of an upper-convected Maxwell fluid near a stagnation-point over a stretching surface. The governing non-linear partial differential equation for the flow are reduced to an ordinary differential equation by using similarity transformations. The analytic solution of nonlinear system is constructed in the series form using Homotopy analysis method. Convergence of the obtained series is discussed explicitly. The effects of the sundry parameters on the velocity profile is shown through graphs. The values of skin-friction coefficient for different parameters is tabulated.     

Laminar boundary layer over a flexible surface in oscillatory flow

A two-dimensional oscillatory flow over a flat flexible surface is analysed. Low and high frequency solutions are developed separately. Results depicting the effect of surface flexibility on the flow in comparison to that over a rigid surface are presented.     

On the similarity solutions of magnetohydrodynamic flows of power-law fluids over a stretching sheet

A rigorous mathematical analysis is given for a magnetohydrodynamics boundary layer problem, which arises in the two-dimensional steady laminar boundary layer flow for an incompressible electrically conducting power-law fluid along a stretching flat sheet in the presence of an exterior magnetic field orthogonal to the flow. In the self-similar case, the problem is transformed into a third-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with certain boundary conditions, which is proved to be equivalent to a singular initial value problem for an integro-differential equation of first order. With the aid of the singular initial value problem, the uniqueness and existence results for (generalized) normal solutions are established and some properties of these solutions are explored.     

Finite element solution of double-diffusive boundary layer flow of viscoelastic nanofluids over a stretching sheet

This paper deals with the double-diffusive boundary layer flow of non-Newtonian nanofluid over a stretching sheet. In this model, where binary nanofluid is used, the Brownian motion and thermophoresis are classified as the main mechanisms which are responsible for the enhancement of the convection features of the nanofluid. The boundary layer equations governed by the partial differential equations are transformed into a set of ordinary differential equations with the help of group theory transformations. The variational finite element method (FEM) is used to solve these ordinary differential equations. We have examined the effects of different controlling parameters, namely, the Brownian motion parameter, the thermophoresis parameter, modified Dufour number, viscoelastic parameter, Prandtl number, regular Lewis number, Dufour Lewis number, and nanofluid Lewis number on the flow field and heat transfer characteristics. Graphical display of the numerical examine are performed to illustrate the influence of various flow parameters on the velocity, temperature, concentration, reduced Nusselt, reduced Sherwood and reduced nanofluid Sherwood number distributions. The present study has many applications in coating and suspensions, movement of biological fluids, cooling of metallic plate, melt-spinning, heat exchangers technology, and oceanography.     

HAM solutions for boundary layer flow in the region of the stagnation point towards a stretching sheet

In the present study, we have described the stagnation point flow of a viscous fluid towards a stretching sheet. The complete analytical solution of the boundary layer equation has been obtained by homotopy analysis method (HAM). The solutions are compared with the available numerical results obtained by Nazar et al. [Nazar R, Amin N, Filip D, Pop I. Unsteady boundary layer flow in the region of the stagnation point on a stretching sheet. Int J Eng Sci 2004;42:1241–53] and a good agreement is found. The convergence region is also computed which shows the validity of the HAM solution.     

Biomagnetic viscoelastic fluid flow over a stretching sheet

Of concern in this paper is an investigation of biomagnetic flow of a non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluid over a stretching sheet under the influence of an applied magnetic field generated owing to the presence of a magnetic dipole. The viscoelasticity of the fluid is characterised by Walter’s B fluid model. The applied magnetic field has been considered to be sufficiently strong to saturate the ferrofluid. The magnetization of the fluid is considered to vary linearly with temperature as well as the magnetic field intensity. The theoretical treatment of the physical problem consists of reducing it to solving a system of non-linear coupled differential equations that involve six parameters, which are solved by developing a finite difference technique. The velocity profile, the skin-friction, the wall pressure and the rate of heat transfer at the sheet are computed for a specific situation. The study shows that the fluid velocity increases as the rate of heat transfer decreases, while the local skin-friction and the wall pressure increase as the magnetic field strength is increased. It is also revealed that fluid viscoelasticity has an enhancing effect on the local skin-friction. The study will have an important bearing on magnetic drug targeting and separation of red cells as well as on the control of blood flow during surgery.     

New explicit approximate solution of MHD viscoelastic boundary layer flow over stretching sheet

In this paper, the study the momentum and heat transfer characteristics in an incompressible electrically conducting non‐Newtonian boundary layer flow of a viscoelastic fluid over a stretching sheet. The partial differential equations governing the flow and heat transfer characteristics are converted into highly nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations by similarity transformations. The resultant coupled highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations are solved by means of, homotopy analysis method (HAM) for constructing an approximate solution of heat transfer in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) viscoelastic boundary layer flow over a stretching sheet with non‐uniform heat source. The proposed method is a strong and easy to use analytic tool for nonlinear problems and does not need small parameters in the equations. The HAM solutions contain an auxiry parameter, which provides a convenient way of controlling the convergence region of series solutions. The results obtained here reveal that the proposed method is very effective and simple for solving nonlinear evolution equations. The method is straightforward and concise, and it can also be applied to other nonlinear evolution equations in physics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transition of MHD boundary layer flow past a stretching sheet

In this paper a study is carried out to understand the transition effect of boundary layer flow: (1) due to a suddenly imposed magnetic field over a viscous flow past a stretching sheet and (2) due to sudden withdrawal of magnetic field over a viscous flow past a stretching sheet under a magnetic field. In both the cases the sheet stretches linearly along the direction of the fluid flow. Governing equations have been non-dimensionalised and the non-dimensionalised equations have been solved using the implicit finite difference method of Crank–Nicholson type. Comparison between the steady state exact solutions and the steady state computed solutions has been carried out. Graphical representation of the dimensionless horizontal velocity, vertical velocity and local skin friction profiles of the steady state and unsteady state has been presented. Computation has been carried out for various values of the magnetic parameter M. The obtained results has been interpreted and discussed.     

Convex solutions of a general similarity boundary layer equation for power-law fluids

This paper is devoted to a general similarity boundary layer equation for power-law fluids, which includes many important similarity boundary layer problems such as the Falker-Skan equation and the magnetohydrodynamic boundary layer equation which arises in the study of self-similar solutions of the two-dimensional steady laminar boundary layer flow for an incompressible electrically conducting power-law fluids along an isolated surface in the presence of an exterior magnetic field orthogonal to the flow. By a rigorous mathematical analysis, the uniqueness, existence and nonexistence results for convex solutions, normal convex solutions and generalized convex solutions to the general similarity boundary layer equation are established. Also the asymptotic behavior of the normal convex solutions at the infinity are displayed.     

Similarity solutions of the boundary layer equations for a nonlinearly stretching sheet

Consideration is given to a class of nonlinear third‐order differential equations arising in fluid flow over a nonlinearly stretching sheet. Existence of a solution of the nonlinear third‐order differential equation over 0<η<∞ is established in this paper, answering the open question of Vajravelu and Cannon (Appl. Math. Comput. 2006; 181:609–618). That is, we prove with estimates independent of R for solutions of the third‐order differential equation on [0, R]. The existence of a solution on 0<η<∞ follows from the Ascoli–Arzela Theorem. Furthermore, numerical solutions are obtained and presented through graphs, and the influence of the physical parameter on the flow characteristics is discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Concave solutions of a general self-similar boundary layer problem for power-law fluids

In this paper, we give a rigorous mathematical analysis for a third order nonlinear boundary value problem. The boundary value problem can be applied to steady free convection around a vertical impermeable flat plate in a fluid-saturated porous medium, or steady flow of a power-law fluid induced by impermeable stretching walls in the frame of boundary layer approximation. We establish the uniqueness, existence and nonexistence of (normal) concave solutions or generalized concave solutions to the problem, and obtain some results about boundedness and asymptotic behavior of the (normal) concave solution or the generalized concave solution.