Numerical study on a vertical plate with variable viscosity and thermal conductivity

Free convection over an isothermal vertical plate immersed in a fluid with variable viscosity and thermal conductivity is studied in this paper. We consider the two-dimensional, laminar and unsteady boundary layer equations. Using the appropriate variables, the basic governing equations are transformed to non-dimensional governing equations. These equations are then solved numerically using a very efficient implicit finite difference scheme known as Crank–Nicolson scheme. The fluid considered in this study is of viscous incompressible fluid of temperature dependent viscosity and thermal conductivity. The effect of varying viscosity and thermal conductivity on velocity, temperature, shear stress and heat transfer rate are discussed. The velocity and temperature profiles are compared with previously published works and are found to be in good agreement.