Role of radial magnetic field on heat transfer in MHD Couette flow in an annulus with viscous and Joule dissipation

This paper presents an analytical investigation of steady, fully developed MHD Couette flow of viscous, incompressible, electrically conducting fluid in the presence of radial magnetic field. Exact solutions are derived for the governing energy and momentum equations by taking into account the effects of viscous and Joule dissipations under relevant boundary conditions. The solutions obtained are graphically represented and the effects of various controlling parameters such as Hartmann number and Brinkman number on the temperature profile and consequently the Nusselt numbers are discussed. The significant result from the study is that increase in Hartmann number leads to enhancement on the Nusselt number at outer surface of inner cylinder while the role of Hartmann number is just reverse on Nusselt number at inner surface of outer cylinder. In addition, the Brinkman number has an insignificant effect on the Nusselt numbers when both surfaces are kept at equal temperature.