Finite element solution of oblique stagnation-point flow of viscoelastic fluid and heat transfer with variable thermal conductivity

The oblique stagnation-point boundary layer flow of an incompressible viscoelastic fluid impinging on an infinite vertical plate and heat transfer characteristics with variable thermal conductivity is studied. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into non-dimensional, nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations which are solved numerically by robust Galerkin finite element method. The streamline patterns and numerical results for the dimensionless shear rate and temperature profiles are displayed graphically for various physical parameters such as Prandtl number, Weissenberg number, thermal conductivity parameter and two parameters alpha and beta, the later being a free parameter. The local Nusselt number is found to be the decreasing function of Weissenberg number whereas it increases with increasing values of Prandtl number. The present problem finds significant applications in cooling of nuclear reactors and electronic devices by fans, where the angle plays an important role in cooling.