Combined Effect of Radiant Heat, Local Nusselt Number and Skin Friction Coefficient of a Third Grade Fluid through a Channel Flow in a Saturated Porous Medium

Abstract

This paper investigates the combined effects of radiant heat, local Nusselt number and Skin friction coefficient on a channel flow of third grade fluid in the presence of saturated porous medium. It is assumed that the fluid has temperature-dependent variable viscosity and thermal conductivity. The non-linear governing differential equations are obtained and tackled numerically using Spectral element technique and C++ programming language. Increase in the values of radiation parameter and third grade material parameter consequently increase the local Nusselt number and skin friction coefficient. Graphical results showing the effects of various physical parameters are presented and discussed quantitatively. It is concluded that Williamson’s fluid parameter served as a cooling factor in diverse improved technological processes in order to avoid different machines from overheating and enhance their efficiencies.

Keywords

• Porous media;
• Non-Newtonian fluids;
• Viscosity;
• Thermal conductivity;
• Radiant energy