A NUMERICAL STUDY OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER IN A VERTICAL CHANNEL DUE TO INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT VISCOSITY, THERMAL RADIATION AND SUCTION/INJECTION
Keywords:
Vertical channel flow, temperature-dependent viscosity, thermal radiation, suction, finite difference method, convective heat and mass transfer.Abstract
This study presents a numerical investigation of heat and mass transfer in a vertical channel considering the combined effects of temperature-dependent viscosity, thermal radiation, and suction. The objective is to understand how these factors influence velocity, temperature, and concentration distributions, which are critical in heat and mass transfer applications. The governing nonlinear differential equations were formulated, non-dimensionalized, and solved using the finite difference method, with MATLAB employed for coding and simulation. Results are reported through graphical and tabular analyses. The findings reveal that fluid velocity decreases with a reduction in the Grashof number, whereas higher Prandtl numbers enhance both velocity and temperature. An increase in the radiation parameter broadens the velocity field, while greater Schmidt numbers reduce both velocity and concentration. Overall, the results provide new insight into the interplay of variable viscosity, radiation, and suction in convective transport, offering practical relevance for engineering systems involving heat exchangers, porous media flows, and radiative environments.
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