A Simplified Finite Difference Method (SFDM) for EMHD Powell–Eyring Nanofluid Flow Featuring Variable Thickness Surface and Variable Fluid Characteristics

M Irfan,M Asif Farooq,Z H Shamsi,T Iqra,A Mushtaq,Taha Aziz

doi:10.1155/2020/8823905

Abstract

We study constant and variable fluid properties together to investigate their effect on MHD Powell–Eyring nanofluid flow with thermal radiation and heat generation over a variable thickness sheet. The similarity variables assist in having ordinary differential equations acquired from partial differential equations (PDEs). A novel numerical procedure, the simplified finite difference method (SFDM), is developed to calculate the physical solution. The SFDM described here is simple, efficient, and accurate. To highlight its accuracy, results of the SFDM are compared with the literature. The results obtained from the SFDM are compared with the published results from the literature. This gives a good agreed solution with each other. The velocity, temperature, and concentration distributions, when drawn at the same time for constant and variable physical features, are observed to be affected against incremental values of the flow variables. Furthermore, the impact of contributing flow variables on the skin friction coefficient (drag on the wall) and local Nusselt (heat transfer rate on the wall) and Sherwood numbers (mass transfer on the wall) is illustrated by data distributed in tables. The nondimensional skin friction coefficient experiences higher values for constant flow regimes especially in comparison with changing flow features.

Highlights

The use of thermal analysis in industry for nonNewtonian fluids is undergoing far reaching consequences covering the processes in biology to the mechanical devices, namely, electronics machinery. erefore, it is worth investigating to optimize the flow of heat transfer for the system
One way in which the underlying system’s thermal conductivity is enhanced is to use the nanofluids. e concept of variable thickness surface is helpful in reducing the weight of structural elements
In [25], they reported a solution of MHD flow of nanofluid with variable thickness

Summary

Introduction

The use of thermal analysis in industry for nonNewtonian fluids is undergoing far reaching consequences covering the processes in biology to the mechanical devices, namely, electronics machinery. erefore, it is worth investigating to optimize the flow of heat transfer for the system. Khan et al [6] discussed stagnation point flow with variable properties and obtained solution numerically. Reddy et al [21] took MHD Williamson nanofluid flow with varying physical properties near a variable thickness sheet. In [25], they reported a solution of MHD flow of nanofluid with variable thickness. Fluid flow with numerical and series solutions over an exponentially stretchable surface with the Powell–Eyring model has been discussed in [34]. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no research has been done on the Powell–Eyring nanofluid with constant and variable fluid properties together. E novelty of the current work lies in addressing the nanofluid of Powell–Eyring along with constant and variable fluid properties.

Theoretical Model

Case A

Case B