Nonlinear MHD Flow and Heat Transfer over a Power-Law Stretching Plate with Free Stream Pressure Gradient and Viscous Dissipation in Presence of Variable Thermal Diffusivity

Abstract

The numerical analysis is carried out on steady nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic flow and heat transfer over a power-law stretching plate with free stream pressure gradient and viscous dissipation in the presence of variable thermal diffusivity and variable transverse magnetic field. The thermal diffusivity is assumed to vary as linear functions of temperature. Using similarity transformation, the nonlinear partial differential equations are converted into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Numerical solutions of these equations are obtained with the help of Runge-Kutta shooting method. The effects of magnetic field, stretching parameter, Prandtl number, free stream velocity ratio, Eckert number and thermal diffusivity parameter on skin friction, velocity, rate of heat transfer and temperature are thoroughly discussed. It is found that the effect of magnetic field is to decrease the velocity and enhance the temperature.