Numerical Modelling of Non-similar Mixed Convection Heat and Species Transfer along an Inclined Solar Energy Collector Surface with Cross Diffusion Effects

Abstract

An analysis is performed to study thermo-diffusion and diffusion-thermo effects on mixed convection heat and mass transfer boundary layer flow along an inclined (solar collector) plate. The resulting governing equations are transformed and then solved numerically using the local nonsimilarity method and Runge-Kutta shooting quadrature. A parametric study illustrating the influence of thermal buoyancy parameter (&#950), Prandtl number (Pr), Schmidt number (Sc), Soret number (Sr), Dufour number (Du) and concentration-to- thermal-buoyancy ratio parameter, N, on the fluid velocity, temperature and concentration profiles as well as on local skin-friction, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers is conducted. For positive inclination angle of the plate (&#947 = 70 degrees), flow velocity (f') is strongly increased i.e. accelerated, with thermal buoyancy force parameter (&#950), in particular closer to the plate surface; further into the boundary layer, &#950 has a much reduced effect. Conversely temperature (&#952) and concentration (&#968) is decreased with increasing thermal buoyancy parameter, &#950. For negative plate inclination, the flow is accelerated whereas for positive inclination it is decelerated i.e. velocity is reduced. Conversely with negative plate inclination both the temperature and concentration in the boundary layer is reduced with the opposite apparent for positive inclination. Increasing Prandtl number strongly reduces temperature in the regime whereas an increase in Schmidt number boosts temperatures with temperature overshoots near the plate surface for Sc = 3 and 5 (i.e. for Sc > 1). Concentration is reduced continuously throughout the boundary layer, however, with increasing Schmidt number. A positive increase in concentration-to-thermal-buoyancy ratio parameter, N, significantly accelerates the flow in the domain, whereas negative N causes a deceleration. A velocity overshoot is also identified for N = 20, at intermediate distance from the plate surface. Negative N (thermal and concentration buoyancy forces oppose each other) induces a slight increase in both fluid temperature and concentration, with the reverse observed for positive N (thermal and concentration buoyancy forces assisting each other). Increasing Dufour number respectively causes a rise in temperature and a decrease in concentration, whereas an increase in Soret number cools the fluid i.e. reduces temperature and enhances concentration values. In the absence of Soret and Dufour effects, positive N causes a monotonic increase in local Nusselt number, NuxRex-1/2 with &#950 Cos &#947, for N = -1 the local Nusselt number remains constant for all values of parameter, &#950 Cos &#947. Local Sherwood number, ShxRex-1/2 is boosted considerably with higher Schmidt numbers and also with positive N values. The computations in the absence of Soret and Dufour effects correlate accurately with the earlier study by Chen et al. (1980).