Longitudinal surface curvature effects on boundary layer of a micropolar fluid

Abstract

The effect of longitudinal surface curvature on steady two-dimensional incompressible laminar boundary layer of a micropolar fluid has been considered. Van Dyke's first oder perturbation analysis is applied to the full equations of motion derived in curvilinear coordinate system which facilitates to carry out boundary layer approximation for flow past a curved surface. This results into two systems of partial differential equations which are called the zeroth order and the first order boundary layer equations. The zeroth order equations are the usual boundary layer equations for a micropolar fluid. The first order equations take into account the longitudinal surface curvature effect explicitly. Similar solution of the governing equations exists if (i) the inviscid flow velocity on the surface varies linearly along the surface and (ii) the longitudinal surface curvature is constant. Numerical results are presented illustrating the dependence of the important flow quantities of both zeroth order and first order boundary layers on the micropolar fluid parameters. The results have been compared with the corresponding results for a Newtonian fluid. It has been found that the skin friction decreases and the wall couple stress increases for convex side of the surface and vice versa for the concave side.