Radiative heat transfer in a hydromagnetic nanofluid past a non-linear stretching surface with convective boundary condition

Abstract

Heat transfer characteristics of a two-dimensional steady hydromagnetic natural convection flow of nanofluids over a non-linear stretching sheet taking into account the effects of radiation and convective boundary condition has been investigated numerically. The model used for the nanofluid incorporates the effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. The local similarity solutions are obtained by using very robust computer algebra software Maple 13. The results corresponding to the dimensionless temperature profiles and the reduced Nusselt number, Sherwood number and skin friction coefficient are displayed graphically for various pertinent parameters. The results show that temperature within the boundary layer is enhanced with the increase of the Biot number, buoyancy due to nanoparticle concentration, strength of the applied magnetic field, Brownian motion parameter, and thermophoresis parameter. An opposite trend is observed for the increase of the buoyancy due to temperature, stretching index, and the radiation parameter. The results also show that the local rate of heat transfer strongly depends on the nonlinear stretching index, radiation parameter, Biot number, Brownian motion parameter, and thermophoresis parameter.