Influence of non-uniform heat source / sink on the three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic Carreau fluid flow past a stretching surface with modified Fourier’s law

Abstract

The combined influence of heat and mass transfer on the boundary layer flow of Carreau fluid across a bidirectional stretching surface has many applications such as heat exchangers, transportation, making of paper plates, fibre coating, and some metal-working procedures in engineering and industrial applications. In this paper, we present a three-dimensional (3D) numerical study on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Carreau fluid flow driven by a stretching surface influenced by heat and mass transfer. This examination further sees the impacts of variable thermal conductivity, Joule heating, irregular heat source / sink and chemical reaction. The improved Fourier’s model is considered in view of the response of heat transfer. The flow equations are transformed into dimensionless equations with suitable similarity transformations. The fourth-order Runge–Kutta-based shooting method is used to resolve the converted nonlinear coupled equations. Influences of various physical aspects on the flow fields are shown through graphs and friction factor, local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are presented in a separate table. The results predict that the fluid temperature is an escalating factor of the thermal relaxation parameter and Eckert number. Also, the rates of thermal and mass transport and the Weisenberg numbers are proportional to each other.