Numerical study of binary mixture and thermophoretic analysis near a solar radiative heat transfer

Abstract

The main focus of the current article is to investigate the two-dimensional boundary layer flow of non-Newtonian fluid induced by a linear stretching surface in the streamwise direction. The flow features of non-Newtonian fluid (i.e. shear-thinning and thickening nature of the fluids) are explored with Carreau fluid model. In addition, thermophoresis, Brownian motion, thermal radiation (with Rosseland approximation), binary mixture and activation enthalpy are also incorporated in fluid model for better analysis of thermal and solutal properties. The mathematical modelling of under consider physical problem yields nonlinear partial differential system. The governing mathematical system is first simplified with scaling transformations for the high Reynolds number and then transformed into non-dimensional ordinary differential system by using the similarity variables. Since the governing mathematical system comprised on nonlinear boundary value problem, thus shooting method is utilized for the numerical solution of the fluid flow governing equations. The obtained results followed the qualitative manners of the previously reported data. The computed results for important physical quantities (i.e. velocity, temperature, and concentration) are presented through graphs and then interpreted physically. It is observed that the boundary layer thickness increased for shear thickening fluids (n>1) while it is reduced for shear thinning fluids (n<1). Also, the temperature of shear thinning fluid is higher than shear thickening fluid. In addition, heat generation and thermal radiations enhance the thermal boundary layer. Thermophoretic viscosity effect reduces the concentration profile significantly in the flow domain.