Similarity analysis of axisymmetric free convection on a horizontal infinite plate subject to a mixed thermal boundary condition in a micropolar fluid

Similarity analysis of the problem of axisymmetric free convection on a horizontal infinite plate of a micropolar fluid is considered assuming that the plate is subjected to a mixed thermal boundary condition. It is shown that the thermal boundary condition is characterized by a positive parameter m and the two cases of m = 0 and m = 1 correspond to prescribed plate temperature and prescribed surface heat flux respectively. If one has to compute the heat transfer coefficient for various values of m, there is no need to solve the boundary value problem every time; it is enough to solve a certain polynomial equation provided the solution is known for any particular value of m. Received on 3 November 1998