Network numerical modelling of unsteady MHD-free convection flow with mass transfer, hall current and viscous dissipation effects

Resumo

The transient problem of the coupled heat and mass transfer of an electrically conducting fluid in magnetohydrodynamic-free convection from a semi-infinite plate, with viscous dissipation and the Hall currents taken into account, is studied. The induced magnetic field due to the motion of the electrically conducting fluid is negligible. The non-dimensional governing equations for the problem are solved by means of a numerical technique based on the electric analogy (Network Simulation Method). This method provides the numerical response of the system by running the network on circuit resolution software, providing thesolution for both transient and steady-state problems at the same time. Programming does not require manipulation of the sophisticated mathematical software that is inherent in other numerical methods. Numerical results for the velocities, temperatureand concentration profiles are presented graphically for different values of the magnetic field parameter, the Hall parameter, and the Eckert, Schmidt, Grashof and modified Grashof numbers. ©2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.