Stability of Dual Solutions in Boundary Layer Flow and Heat Transfer over an Exponentially Shrinking Cylinder

Abstract

An analysis is carried out to investigate the steady two-dimensional boundary layer flow of a nanofluid and heat transfer over an exponentially shrinking sheet in a water-based copper (Cu). The model used for the nanofluid incorporates the effect of the nanoparticles volume fraction. The governing partial differential equations are converted into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations using a similarity transformation, before being solved numerically by using a shooting method. Results for the skin friction coefficient, local Nusselt number, velocity as well as the temperature are presented for different values of the governing parameters. It is found that when the mass suction parameters exceeds a certain critical value, steady flow is possible. Dual solutions for the velocity and temperature distributions are obtained. With increasing values of the nanoparticles volume fraction, the skin friction and heat transfer coefficient increase.