Combined Effects of Hall Current and Magnetic Field on Unsteady Flow Past a Semi-infinite Vertical Plate with Thermal Radiation and Heat Source

In the present study combined effects of Hall current and magnetic field on unsteady laminar boundary layer flow of a chemically reacting incompressible viscous fluid along a semi-infinite vertical plate with thermal radiation and heat source is analyzed numerically. A magnetic field of uniform strength is applied normal to the flow. Viscous dissipation and thermal diffusion effects are included. In order to establish a finite boundary condition () instead of an infinite plate condition, the governing equations in non- dimensional form are transformed to new system of co-ordinates. Obtaining exact solution for this new system of differential equations is very difficult due to its coupled non-linearity, so they are transformed to system of linear equations using implicit finite difference formulae and these are solved using ‘Gaussian elimination’ method and for this simulation is carried out by coding in C-Program. Graphical results for velocity, temperature and concentration fields are presented and discussed. The results obtained for skin-friction coefficient, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are discussed and compared with previously published work in the absence of Hall current parameter. These comparisons have shown a good agreement between the results. A research finding of this study, achieved that the velocity and temperature profiles are severely affected by the Hall effect and magnetic field and also a considerable enhancement in temperature, main and secondary flow velocities of the fluid is observed for increasing values of radiation parameter.