Mixed convection heat and mass transfer of non‐Newtonian fluids from a permeable surface embedded in a porous medium

Abstract

PurposeTo consider simultaneous heat and mass transfer by mixed convection for a non‐Newtonian power‐law fluid from a permeable vertical plate embedded in a fluid‐saturated porous medium in the presence of suction or injection and heat generation or absorption effects.Design/methodology/approachThe problem is formulated in terms of non‐similar equations. These equations are solved numerically by an efficient implicit, iterative, finite‐difference method.FindingsIt was found that as the buoyancy ratio was increased, both the local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers increased in the whole range of free and mixed convection regime while they remained constant for the forced‐convection regime. However, they decreased and then increased forming dips as the mixed‐convection parameter was increased from the free‐convection limit to the forced‐convection limit for both Newtonian and dilatant fluid situations.Research limitations/implicationsThe problem is limited to slow flow of non‐Newtonian power‐law fluids in porous media. Future research may consider inertia effects of porous media for relatively higher velocity flows.Practical implicationsA very useful source of information for researchers on the subject of non‐Newtonian fluids in porous media.Originality/valueThis paper illustrates simultaneous heat and mass transfer in porous media for power‐law fluids with heat generation or absorption effects.