Qualitative analysis of magnetohydrodynamics Powell–Eyring fluid with variable electrical conductivity

Abstract

ABSTRACT The non-Newtonian fluid model helps to visualize the fluid movements in modern industrial materials for the enhancement of work productivity. Therefore, this numerical investigation examines the flow behaviour of Powell–Eyring fluid over the stretching sheet with variable electric conductivity and thermal radiation. We have used the Lie group analysis method to reduce the governing momentum and energy equations into ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The resultant system is then numerically solved using the shifted Chebyshev collocation method. The accuracy of the numerical method has been verified by comparing the current work to existing literature, and it is found to be in excellent agreement. The effects of rheological parameters like stretching sheet parameter, magnetic field parameter, material parameters, suction/injection parameter, radiation parameter and Prandtl number on fluid velocity and temperature profiles are examined in detail through tables and graphs. The main motivation behind this study is to examine the effects of Lorentz force on fluid velocity and temperature in the presence of thermal radiation, which has several industrial applications. It is observed that the velocity profile decreases when the magnetic field parameter increases. Furthermore, it is noticed that increasing thermal radiation parameter increases the temperature profile.