Finite Element Method Solution of Boundary Layer Flow of Powell-Eyring Nanofluid over a Nonlinear Stretching Surface

Abstract

The nonlinear convective flow of Eyring-Powell nanofluid using Catteneo-Christov model with heat generation or absorption term and chemical reaction rate over nonlinear stretching surface is analyzed. The simultaneous nonlinear partial differential equations governing the boundary layer flow are transformed to the corresponding nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similarity solution and then solved using Galerkin finite element method (GFEM). The impacts of pertinent governing parameters like Brownian diffusion, thermophoresis, mixed convection, heat generation or absorption, chemical reaction rate, Deborah numbers, Prandtl number, magnetic field parameter, Lewis number, nonlinear stretching sheet, and Eyring-Powell fluid parameters on velocity field, temperature, and nanoparticle concentration are given in both figures and tabular form. The result shows that the rise in chemical reaction rate will improve mass transfer rate and reduce heat transfer rate and local buoyancy parameter has quit opposite effect. The attributes of local skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number, and Sheer wood number are investigated and validated with existing literatures.