Similarity solutions for mixed convection boundary layer flow over a permeable horizontal flat plate

The effects of suction and injection on steady laminar mixed convection boundary layer flow over a permeable horizontal flat plate in a viscous and incompressible fluid is investigated in this paper. The similarity solutions of the governing boundary layer equations are obtained for some values of the suction and injection parameter f₀, the constant exponent n of the wall temperature as well as the mixed convection parameter λ. The resulting system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations is solved numerically for both assisting and opposing flow regimes using a finite-difference scheme known as the Keller-box method. Numerical results for the reduced skin friction coefficient, the reduced local Nusselt number, and the velocity and temperature profiles are obtained for various values of the parameters considered. Dual solutions are found to exist for the opposing flow.     

Nano boundary layer equation with nonlinear Navier boundary condition

At the micro and nano scale the standard no slip boundary condition of classical fluid mechanics does not apply and must be replaced by a boundary condition that allows some degree of tangential slip. In this study the classical laminar boundary layer equations are studied using Lie symmetries with the no-slip boundary condition replaced by a nonlinear Navier boundary condition. This boundary condition contains an arbitrary index parameter, denoted by n>0, which appears in the coefficients of the ordinary differential equation to be solved. The case of a boundary layer formed in a convergent channel with a sink, which corresponds to n=1/2, is solved analytically. Another analytical but non-unique solution is found corresponding to the value n=1/3, while other values of n for n>1/2 correspond to the boundary layer formed in the flow past a wedge and are solved numerically. It is found that for fixed slip length the velocity components are reduced in magnitude as n increases, while for fixed n the velocity components are increased in magnitude as the slip length is increased.     

On the structure of similarity solutions of a differential equation arising from boundary layer problem

We consider an ordinary differential equation with f(0)=a, f^′(0)=1, f^′(∞):=limt→∞f^′(t)=0, where β is a real constant. The given problem may arise from the study of steady free convection flow over a vertical semi-infinite flat plate in a porous medium, or the study of a boundary layer flow over a vertical stretching wall. In this paper, the structure of solutions for the cases of β?−2 is studied. Combining the results of [B. Brighi, T. Sari, Blowing-up coordinates for a similarity boundary layer equation, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. 5 (2005) 929-948; J.-S. Guo, J.-C. Tsai, The structure of solution for a third order differential equation in boundary layer theory, Japan J. Indust. Appl. Math. 22 (2005) 311-351; J.-C. Tsai, Similarity solutions for boundary layer flows with prescribed surface temperature, Appl. Math. Lett. 21 (1) (2008) 67-73], we conclude that the given problem may possess at most two types solutions for β∈R. Moreover, multiple solutions are also verified for various pairs of (a,β).     

Exact solution of thermal radiation on MHD flow over a stretching porous sheet

The effect of radiation on MHD steady asymmetric flow of an electrically conducting fluid past a stretching porous sheet in the presence of radiation has been analyzed. Exact solutions for the velocity and temperature fields have been derived and the effects of radiation, magnetic, Prandtl number, wall temperature and suction (or injection) parameters have been studied with the help of graphs.     

Convergence rate of the solution toward boundary layer solution for initial-boundary value problem of the 2-D viscous conservation laws

In this paper, we study the large time behavior of the solution to the initial boundary value problem for 2-D viscous conservation laws in the space x ? bt. The global existence and the asymptotic stability of a stationary solution are proved by Kawashima et al. [1]. Here, we investigate the convergence rate of solution toward the boundary layer solution with the non-degenerate case where f′(u₊) − b < 0. Based on the estimate in the H² Sobolev space and via the weighted energy method, we draw the conclusion that the solution converges to the corresponding boundary layer solution with algebraic or exponential rate in time, under the assumption that the initial perturbation decays with algebraic or exponential in the spatial direction.     

An analytical study of linear and nonlinear double diffusive convection in a fluid saturated anisotropic porous layer with Soret effect

The double diffusive convection in a horizontal anisotropic porous layer saturated with a Boussinesq fluid, which is heated and salted from below in the presence of Soret coefficient is studied analytically using both linear and nonlinear stability analyses. The normal mode technique is used in the linear stability analysis while a weak nonlinear analysis based on a minimal representation of double Fourier series method is used in the nonlinear analysis. The generalized Darcy model including the time derivative term is employed for the momentum equation. The critical Rayleigh number, wavenumber for stationary and oscillatory modes and frequency of oscillations are obtained analytically using linear theory. The effect of anisotropy parameters, solute Rayleigh number, Soret parameter and Lewis number on the stationary, oscillatory, finite amplitude convection and heat and mass transfer are shown graphically.     

A free boundary problem for a fluid flow in a heterogeneous porous medium

In this paper we study the problem of seepage of a fluid through a porous medium, assuming the flow governed by a nonlinear Darcy law and nonlinear leaky boundary conditions. We prove the continuity of the free boundary and the existence and uniqueness of minimal and maximal solutions. We also prove the uniqueness of theS ₃-connected solution in various situations.     

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]).     

Similarity solution of boundary layer stagnation-point flow towards a heated porous stretching sheet saturated with a nanofluid with heat absorption/generation and suction/blowing: A Lie group analysis

In this paper, heat and mass transfer analysis for boundary layer stagnation-point flow over a stretching sheet in a porous medium saturated by a nanofluid with internal heat generation/absorption and suction/blowing is investigated. The governing partial differential equation and auxiliary conditions are converted to ordinary differential equations with the corresponding auxiliary conditions via Lie group analysis. The boundary layer temperature, concentration and nanoparticle volume fraction profiles are then determined numerically. The influences of various relevant parameters, namely, thermophoresis parameter Nt, Brownian motion parameter Nb, Lewis number Le, suction/injection parameter S, permeability parameter k₁, source/sink parameter λ and Prandtl parameter Pr on temperature and concentration as well as wall heat flux and wall mass flux are discussed. Comparison with published results is presented.     

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 for flow and heat transfer over a permeable surface with convective boundary condition

The steady laminar boundary layer flow over a permeable flat plate in a uniform free stream, with the bottom surface of the plate is heated by convection from a hot fluid is considered. Similarity solutions for the flow and thermal fields are possible if the mass transpiration rate at the surface and the convective heat transfer from the hot fluid on the lower surface of the plate vary like x^−1/2, where x is the distance from the leading edge of the solid surface. The governing partial differential equations are first transformed into ordinary differential equations, before being solved numerically. The effects of the governing parameters on the flow and thermal fields are thoroughly examined and discussed.     

Existence of nonlinear boundary layer solution to the Boltzmann equation with physical boundary conditions

In this paper, the existence of boundary layer solutions to the Boltzmann equation with two physical boundary conditions for hard sphere model is considered. The boundary condition is first imposed on incoming particles of diffuse reflection type and the solution tends to a global Maxwellian in the far field. Similar to the problem with Dirichlet boundary condition studied in [S. Ukai, T. Yang, S.H. Yu, Nonlinear boundary layers of the Boltzmann equation: I. Existence, Comm. Math. Phys. 236 (3) (2003) 373-393], the existence of a solution is shown to depend on the Mach number of the far field Maxwellian, and there is an implicit solvability conditions yielding the co-dimensions of the boundary data. At last, the specular reflection boundary condition is considered and the similar conclusions are obtained.     

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.     

Influence of temperature-dependent viscosity and thermal radiation on MHD forced convection over a non-isothermal wedge

An analysis has been carried out to study heat transfer characteristics of an incompressible Newtonian electrically conducting and heat generating/absorbing fluid having temperature-dependent viscosity over a non-isothermal wedge in the presence of thermal radiation. The Rosseland approximation is used to describe the radiative heat flux in the energy equation. The wedge surface is assumed to be permeable so as to allow for possible wall suction or injection. The effects of viscous dissipation, Joule heating, stress work and thermal radiation are included in the model. The governing differential equations are derived and transformed using a non-similarity transformation. The transformed equations are solved numerically by applying a fifth-order Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg scheme with shooting technique. Favorable comparisons with previously published work on various special cases of the problem are obtained. Numerical results for the velocity and temperature profiles for a prescribed magnetic field parameter as well as the development of the local skin-friction coefficient and local Nusselt number with the magnetic field and radiation parameters are presented graphically and in tabulated form to elucidate the influence of the various physical parameters.     

Classical solution for a nonlinear hybrid system modeling combustion in a multilayer porous medium

Combustion processes in porous media have been used by the petroleum engineering industry to extract heavy oil from reservoirs. This study focuses on a one-dimensional nonlinear hybrid system consisting of $n$ reaction–diffusion–convection equations coupled with $n$ ordinary differential equations, which models a combustion front moving through a porous medium with $n$ parallel layers. The state variables are the temperature and fuel concentration in each layer. Coupling occurs in both the reaction function and differential operator coefficients. We prove the existence of a classical solution, first locally and then globally over time, to an initial and boundary value problem for the corresponding system. The proof uses a new approach for combustion problems in porous media. The local solution is obtained by defining an operator in a set of Hölder continuous functions and using Schauder’s fixed-point theorem to find a fixed point as the desired solution. Using Zorn’s lemma, we extend the local solution to a global solution, proving that the first-order spatial derivative of the temperature in each layer is a bounded function.     

Perturbation analysis of a magnetohydrodynamic boundary layer flow

This paper presents a perturbation analysis study of the flow of an electrically conducting power-law fluid in the presence of a uniform transverse magnetic field over a stretching sheet. The perturbation solutions for small and large values of the mixed convection parameter are explored. The asymptotic behavior of the solutions was examined for different values of the power-law index and the magnetic parameter.     

Solutions for the problem of boundary layer formation in a pseudo-plastic fluid: The case of gradual acceleration

We consider the development of the nonstationary boundary layer about a body that gradually starts to move in a resting fluid. Under certain conditions, we construct the solutions for the problem of formation of boundary layer in a pseudo-plastic fluid. The method used here is mainly based on a transformation which reduces the boundary layer system to a boundary value problem for a single quasilinear parabolic equation.     

Onset of triply diffusive convection in a Maxwell fluid saturated porous layer

The linear stability of triply diffusive convection in a binary Maxwell fluid saturated porous layer is investigated. Applying the normal mode method theory, the criterion for the onset of stationary and oscillatory convection is obtained. The modified Darcy–Maxwell model is used as the analysis model, this allows us to make a thorough investigation of the processes of viscoelasticity and diffusions that causes the convection to set in through oscillatory rather than stationary. The effects of Vadasz number, normalized porosity parameter, relaxation parameter, Lewis number and solute Rayleigh number on the system are presented numerically and graphically.     

Free convection boundary layers on a vertical surface in a heat-generating porous medium

The natural convection boundary-layer flow on a solid verticalsurface with heat generated within the boundary layer at a rateproportional to (T – T)^p (p 1) is considered. The surfaceis held at the ambient temperature T except near the leadingedge where it is held at a temperature above ambient. The behaviourof the flow as it develops from the leading edge is examinedand is seen to become independent of the initial heat input;however, it does depend strongly on the exponent p. For 1 p 2, the local heating eventually dominates at large distancesand there is a convective flow driven by this mechanism. Forp 4, the local heating does not have a significant effect,the fluid temperature remains relatively small throughout andthe heat transfer dies out through a wall jet flow. For 2 <p < 4, the local heating has a significant effect at relativelysmall distances, with a thermal runaway developing at a finitedistance along the surface.