Influence of Hall Current on MHD Flow and Heat Transfer over a slender stretching sheet in the presence of variable fluid properties

Abstract

MHD flow and heat transfer of an electrically conducting fluid over a stretching sheet with variable thickness in the presence of variable fluid properties is analyzed. Wall temperature and the velocity of the stretching sheet are assumed to vary. Also the external magnetic field perpendicular to the sheet and the effects of Hall current are taken into account. The governing nonlinear differential equations are solved numerically by an implicit finite difference scheme. To validate the numerical method, comparisons are made with the available results in the literature for some special cases and the results are found to be in excellent agreement. The effects of physical parameters on the flow and temperature fields are analyzed graphically. The Hall current gives rise to a cross flow and the variable fluid properties have strong effects on the shear stress and the Nusselt number.