Radiation effect on free convection laminar flow along a vertical flat plate with streamwise sinusoidal surface temperature

Abstract

The effect of thermal radiation on a steady two-dimensional natural convection laminar flow of viscous incompressible optically thick fluid along a vertical flat plate with streamwise sinusoidal surface temperature has been investigated in this study. Using the appropriate variables, the basic governing equations are transformed to convenient form and then solved numerically employing two efficient methods, namely, the Implicit Finite Difference method (IFD) together with the Keller box scheme and Straight Forward Finite Difference (SFFD) method. The effects of the variation of the physical parameters, for example, conduction-radiation parameter (Planck number), surface temperature parameter, and the amplitude of the surface temperature, are shown on the skin-friction. Heat transfer rate is shown quantitatively and numerically. Velocity and temperature profiles as well as streamlines and isotherms are also presented and discussed for the variation of the conduction-radiation parameter. It is found that both skin-friction and rate of heat transfer are enhanced considerably by increasing the values of conduction radiation parameter, Rd. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.