Radiative Free Convective Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow past a Wedge Embedded in a Porous Medium†

An isothermal boundary layer analysis is presented for the convection flow of a second-order non-Newtonian fluid past a two-dimensional wedge embedded in a non-Darcian porous medium in the presence of significant thermal radiation, surface transpiration and Eckert viscous heating. Nonsimilar numerical solutions are generated for the shear stresses and local heat transfer rates at the surface of the wedge using the Keller difference technique extended to a higher matrix order. It is found that the heat transfer magnitude is enhanced by an increase in the radiative flux parameter (Boltzmann – Rosseland number, Bo), but depressed considerably with an increase in the viscoelasticity of the second-order fluid parameter, K. The surface shear stresses are markedly decreased with rise in the viscoelasticity parameter K. Conversely, surface lateral mass flux (transpiration) is seen to lower the shear stresses at the surface and to greatly boost the heat transfer there. The effects of Eckert heating are also presented graphically and discussed.