Effects of chemical reaction, heat and mass diffusion in natural convection flow from an isothermal sphere with temperature dependent viscosity

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the effects of chemical reaction on natural convection heat and mass transfer from a sphere with temperature dependent viscosity.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing boundary layer equations are transformed into a non‐dimensional form and the resulting nonlinear system of partial differential equations are reduced to local non‐similarity boundary layer equations, which are solved numerically by very efficient implicit finite difference method together with Keller box scheme.

Findings

The effects of chemical reaction, the skin‐friction coefficients, surface heat transfer rates, velocity and concentration distribution decrease as well as the mass transfer rates and temperature distribution increase within the boundary layer.

Research limitations/implications

The investigation is valid for steady two‐dimensional laminar flow. The concentration of the reactant is maintained at a constant value and the sphere is isothermal. An extension to unsteady flow with temperature dependent thermal conductivity is left for future work.

Originality/value

This result provides guidance to engineers about heat and mass transfer with the effects of chemical reaction from isothermal spherical surface.

Citation

Molla, M. and Hossain, A. (2006), "Effects of chemical reaction, heat and mass diffusion in natural convection flow from an isothermal sphere with temperature dependent viscosity", Engineering Computations, Vol. 23 No. 7, pp. 840-857. https://doi.org/10.1108/02644400610689929