Non-Newtonian Power-Law Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer over a Non-Linearly Stretching Surface

The problem of magneto-hydrodynamic flow and heat transfer of an electrically conducting non-Newtonian power-law fluid past a non-linearly stretching surface in the presence of a transverse magnetic field is considered. The stretching velocity, the temperature and the transverse magnetic field are assumed to vary in a power-law with the distance from the origin. The flow is induced due to an infinite elastic sheet which is stretched in its own plane. The governing equations\udare reduced to non-linear ordinary differential equations by means of similarity transformations. These equations\udare then solved numerically by an implicit finite-difference scheme known as Keller-Box method. The numerical solution is found to be dependent on several governing parameters, including the magnetic field parameter, power-law index, velocity exponent parameter, temperature exponent parameter, Modified Prandtl number and heat source/sink parameter. A systematic study is carried out to illustrate the effects of these parameters on the fluid velocity and the temperature distribution in the boundary layer. The results for the local skin-friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are\udtabulated and discussed. The results obtained reveal many interesting behaviors that warrant further study on the equations related to non-Newtonian fluid phenomena