Buoyancy effects on thermal boundary layer over a vertical plate with a convective surface boundary condition

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effects of thermal buoyancy on the laminar boundary layer about a vertical plate in a uniform stream of fluid under a convective surface boundary condition. Using a similarity variable, the governing nonlinear partial differential equations have been transformed into a set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations, which are solved numerically by applying shooting iteration technique together with fourth-order Runge–Kutta integration scheme. The variations in dimensionless surface temperature and fluid-solid interface characteristics for different values of Prandtl number (Pr), local Grashof number Grx, and local convective heat transfer parameter Bix are graphed and tabulated. A comparison with previously published results on special case of the problem shows excellent agreement.