Thermal decomposition of unsteady non-Newtonian MHD Couette flow with variable properties
International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow
ISSN: 0961-5539
Article publication date: 2 March 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Couette flow of an electrically conducting incompressible non-Newtonian third grade reactive fluid with temperature-dependent variable viscosity and thermal conductivity properties under isothermal surface conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The coupled non-linear partial differential equations for momentum and energy balance governing the transient problem are obtained and tackled numerically using a semi-discretization finite difference technique.
Findings
The effects of various embedded thermophysical parameters on the velocity and temperature fields including skin friction, Nusselt number and thermal stability conditions are presented graphically and discussed quantitatively.
Practical implications
The approach is applicable to modelling the complex physical phenomenon in MHD lubrications that occurs in numerous areas of engineering and industrial processes.
Originality/value
This paper may be of industrial and engineering interest especially in understanding the combined effects of unsteadiness, variable thermophysical properties and magnetic field on the thermal stability condition for a reactive non-Newtonian third grade fluid under Couette flow scenario.
Keywords
Citation
Makinde, D.O. and Franks, O. (2015), "Thermal decomposition of unsteady non-Newtonian MHD Couette flow with variable properties", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 252-264. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-12-2013-0342
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited