Effect of variable viscosity on thermal boundary layer over a permeable flat plate with radiation and a convective surface boundary condition

In this paper, the combined effects of radiation, temperature dependent viscosity, suction and injection on thermal boundary layer over a permeable flat plate with a convective heat exchange at the surface are investigated. By taking suitable similarity variables, the governing boundary layer equations are transformed into a boundary value problem of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations and solved numerically using the shooting technique with sixth-order Runge-Kutta integration scheme. The solutions for the velocity and temperature distributions together with the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number depend on six parameters; Prandtl number Pr, Brinkmann number Br, the radiation parameter Ra, the viscosity variation parameter a, suction/injection parameter f(w), and convection Biot number Bi. Numerical results are presented both in tabular and graphical forms illustrating the effects of these parameters on thermal boundary layer. The thermal boundary layer thickens with a rise in the local temperature as the viscous dissipation, wall injection, and convective heating each intensifies, but decreases with increasing suction and thermal radiation. For fixed Pr, Ra, Br and Bi, both the skin friction coefficient and the Nusselt number increase with a decrease in fluid viscosity and an increase in suction. A comparison with previously published results on special case of the problem shows excellent agreement.