Mixed convection flow of a micropolar fluid from an isothermal vertical plate

Abstract

Laminar mixed convection boundary layer flow of a micropolar fluid from an isothermal vertical flat plate has been considered. This problem does not admit similarity solutions and has been solved numerically by using a finite-difference technique in a finite domain. Velocity, microrotation and temperature fields have been computed and shown graphically from pure forced convection to moderately large free convection flows. The skin-friction and the rate of heat transfer parameters on the plate have been tabulated. It is found that velocity increases and temperature decreases with the heating of the fluid while these results reverse for the cooling of the fluid. It is observed that the microrotation is very sensitive to the changes in the values of Grashof number when fluid is being heated by the free convection current while it is rather insensitive when fluid is being cooled by the free convection current. Furthermore, the results have been compared with the results of the corresponding flow of a Newtonian fluid.