Heat and Mass Transfer on the Mixed Convection of Non-Newtonian Fluids Over a Vertical Wedge with Soret/Dufour Effects and Internal Heat Generation: Variable Wall Temperature/Concentration

Abstract

This numerical analysis investigated the effects of heat and mass transfer characteristics on the mixed convection flow of non-Newtonian fluids over the vertical wedge in a saturated porous medium with Soret/Dufour effects and internal heat generation. The numerical modeling of this problem has attracted considerable attention from researchers because it has practical applications in biological sciences, electronic cooling, advanced nuclear systems, etc. The internal heat generation is assumed to be an exponential decaying form. The power-law model of Ostwald–de Waele for non-Newtonian fluids is considered. The surface of the vertical wedge is kept at variable wall temperature and concentration. In the analysis of mixed convection, which included free convection and forced convection, parameter varies from 0 (pure free convection) to 1 (pure forced convection). The transformed equations are obtained by using a suitable coordinate transformation, and then, Keller box method is utilized to solve the non-similar equations. Comparisons with data published previously showed good agreement. Both the local Nusselt number and the local Sherwood number increase with increasing the exponent of variable wall temperature/concentration. Increasing the internal heat generation coefficient decreases (increases) the local Nusselt (Sherwood) number. As the power-law index is increased, the local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are decreased.