Non-linear Oberbeck-electroconvection in a poorly conducting fluid through a vertical channel in the presence of an electric field

Abstract

Non-linear Oberbeck-electroconvection (OBEC) in a poorly electrically conducting fluid through a vertical channel, when the walls are held at different temperatures with temperature difference perpendicular to gravity, is studied using the modified Navier stokes equation in the presence of both induced and an applied electric field. Both analytical and numerical solutions for the non-linear coupled equations governing the motion are obtained and found that analytical solutions agree well with numerical solutions for values of the buoyancy parameter N < 1. It is shown that OBEC can be controlled by maintaining the temperature difference either in the same direction or opposing the potential difference with a suitable value of electric number W. The effect of W on velocity, temperature, rate of heat transfer, skin friction and mass flow rate are computed and the results are depicted graphically. We found that analytical results agree well with numerical results for small values of N. We also found that an increase in W accelerates the flow and hence increases linearly the skin friction and mass flow rate.