On Stagnation Point Flow of Variable Viscosity Nanofluids Past a Stretching Surface with Radiative Heat

This paper examines the effect of thermal radiation on stagnation point boundary layer flow of variable viscosity water base nanofluid over a convectively heated stretching surface. The model nonlinear problem incorporates both thermophoresis and Brownian motion effects. Similarity transformation has been employed to convert the governing partial differential equations to nonlinear ordinary equations and tackled numerically using a fourth order Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg integration scheme with shooting technique. The effects of various thermophysical parameters on nanofluid velocity, temperature, concentration, skin friction, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are discussed thoroughly and analyzed through graphs and tables. Results for some special cases of the present analysis are in good agreement with the existing literature. © 2015, Springer India Pvt. Ltd.