Hybrid Numerical Solution of Mixed Convection Boundary Layer Flow of Nanofluid Along an Inclined Plate with Prescribed Surface Fluxes

Abstract

The present paper contains a numerical study using hybrid approach on mixed convective boundary layer flow of a nanofluid past an inclined plate embedded in a porous medium. The inclined plate is maintained at uniform and constant heat, mass and nanoparticle fluxes, and the behavior of the porous medium is described by the Darcy’s model. The model considered for nanofluids incorporates the effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. Using appropriate similarity variables, system of non-linear ordinary differential equations are solved by hybrid approach consisting of finite element method and symbolic computation. The other effect of mixed convection parameter, buoyancy ratio parameter and inclination angle on the temperature, concentration of both salts and nanoparticle volume fraction are shown. It is found that concentration of salts and nanoparticle volume fraction decreases with increasing mixed convection parameter in the presence of nanofluid and both salts. © 2016, Springer India Pvt. Ltd.