Iterative finite difference schemes for similar and nonsimilar boundary layer equations

Abstract

This paper reviews first the numerical method to solve similar boundary layer equations developed earlier by the author and then describes, as its extension, new numerical methods to solve nonsimilar boundary layer equations. The basic principle of the methods here is that the third-order ODE or PDE form of the similar and nonsimilar boundary layer equations are reduced to a second order system, and then solved iteratively using the tridiagonal solver. The method is significantly more powerful than the solution method based on the perturbation theory and also simpler than finite difference schemes developed by Bradshaw and Cebeci.