MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC CASSON FLUID FLOW OVER A HORIZONTAL MELTING SURFACE WITH VARIABLE THICKNESS IN THE PRESENCE OF THERMOPHORESIS

Abstract

In this dissertation, we considered a Casson fluid flow over a melting surface embedded in a thermally stratified medium, in which the solutal stratification is incorporated. The heat and mass transfer of viscous incompressible Casson fluid flow over a horizontal surface is considered to be emerging out of a slot at origin. Viscosity is assumed to vary as a linear function of temperature. Based on boundary layer assumptions, suitable similarity variable is employed to non-dimensionalized and parameterized the governing partial differential equations such that it unraveled the dynamics of the fluid along a surface with variable thickness. The coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations obtained are solved numerically using Runge-Kutta Gill along with shooting method. The criteria for the existence and uniqueness of solution for the coupled ordinary differential equations was established. The effects of pertinent parameters are established and presented in graphs and tables. A significant decrease in velocity is observed for increase in Casson, magnetic and wall thickness parameters. The melting parameter inflates local skin friction, Nusselt number and the Sherwood number.