Mixed convection boundary layer flow in a viscoelastic fluid with internal heat generation

Abstract

The study in flows of viscoelastic fluid has generated many interests and become more important recently because of their wide applications in engineering and in several industrial processes. In this thesis, the mixed convection boundary layer of a viscoelastic fluid past a circular cylinder with constant heat flux with internal heat generation is discussed. The governing boundary layer equations are transformed into a system of non dimensional equations by using the non dimensional variables. The non dimensional governing equations are then solved numerically using the Keller-box method by augmenting an extra boundary condition at infinity. Numerical solutions are displayed graphically for the velocity and temperature profiles with the effects of the mixed convection parameter, ,? the viscoelastic parameter, K, the Prandtl number, Pr, and the internal heat generation parameter, .? Results shown that when internal heat generation, ? is increased, the velocity and temperature profiles are increased. Limiting cases of present results are compared with the published results and found to concur very well.