Thermal Diffusion and Chemical Reaction Effects on a Hydro-magnetic Natural Convection Couette Flow between Two Vertical Porous Plates

Abstract

Objectives: This investigation present an analytical study on a two-dimensional steady hydro-magnetic natural convective couette flow with mass transfer of a viscous incompressible and electrically conducting Newtonian fluid between two infinite vertical parallel plates.  A magnetic field of uniform strength is assumed to be applied transversely to the direction of the flow taking into account the induced magnetic field. The plates are subjected to constant suction and injection. Methods: The non-linear coupled differential equations are solved analytically by regular perturbation technique with Eckert number Ec (<1) as perturbation parameter. The expressions for velocity, temperature, concentration fields and the coefficients of skin frictions at the walls, the rate of heat transfer (in terms of Nusselt numbers) from the walls to the fluid, the rate of mass transfer (in terms of Sherwood numbers) at the walls are obtained in non-dimensional form and the effects of different physical parameters involved in the problem on these fields are discussed graphically and the results are interpreted physically. Findings: It is observed that concentration decreases for chemical reaction and thermal diffusion whereas it is increased due to high rate of molar diffusivity and low viscosity. Also fluid temperature falls due to thermal diffusion but it rises for chemical reaction. Applications: The problem setup and subsequent findings are relevant to applications in chemical engineering and manufacturing industries.