Stagnation point flow in a Maxwell fluid with a slip condition and the role of viscous dissipation and radiation

Abstract

This research aims to examine the impact of viscous dissipation, slip conditions, and radiation on the stagnation point flow when a stretching/shrinking sheet is immersed in a Maxwell fluid. The significance of viscous dissipation has great importance in an extensive range of engineering applications, including heat exchangers, lubrication systems, polymer processing, and biofluid mechanics. In heat and mass transfer fluid flow problems, viscous dissipation can have significant effects, particularly in situations involving high fluid velocities or high viscosity fluids. In this computational study, the governing equations, namely the momentum, and energy equations, are formulated and non-dimensionalized using appropriate similarity parameters and the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method is then employed to resolve the problem. The obtained results provide detailed insights into the velocity, temperature, skin friction and wall temperature distributions in the flow domain. Additionally, the role of viscous dissipation in altering the heat transfer characteristics of the Maxwell fluid is examined. The results indicate that the existence of viscous dissipation significantly impacts the flow behaviour of the Maxwell fluid. It alters the boundary layer thickness, temperature distribution, and the overall heat transfer rate. Additionally, it is observed that the values of the Prandtl number strongly affect the influence of viscous dissipation on the velocity and temperature distribution. The outcomes of this study correlate with those that have been previously reported.