Free convection flow of non-Newtonian fluids along a vertical plate embedded in a porous medium

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Journal of Heat Transfer (Transactions of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Series C); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3250462· OSTI ID:5981575

Chen, Han-Taw; Chen, Cha'o-Kuang ^[1]

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1. National Cheng-Kung Univ., Tainan (Taiwan)

The problem of free convection flow of a non-Newtonian power law fluid along an isothermal vertical flat plate embedded in the porous medium is considered in the present study. The physical coordinate system is shown schematically in Fig 1. In the present study, it is assumed that the modified Darcy law and the boundary layer approximation are applicable. This implies that the present solutions are valid at a high Rayleigh number. With these simplifications, the governing partial nonlinear differential equations can be transformed into a set of coupled ordinary differential equations which can be solved by the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. Algebraic equations for heat transfer rate and boundary layer thickness as a function of the prescribed wall temperature and physical properties of liquid-porous medium are obtained. The similarity solutions can be applied to problems in geophysics and engineering. The primary purpose of the present study is to predict the characteristics of steady natural convection heat transfer using the model of the flow of a non-Newtonian power law fluid in a porous medium given by Dharmadhikari and Kale (1985). Secondly, the effects of the new power law index n on heat transfer are investigated.

• OSTI ID: 5981575
• Journal Information: Journal of Heat Transfer (Transactions of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Series C); (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Heat Transfer (Transactions of the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), Series C); (United States) Vol. 110:1; ISSN 0022-1481; ISSN JHTRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
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THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
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