Significance of thermal radiation on MHD stagnation point flow of Powell Eyring fluid: A heat and mass transfer problem

Abstract

The current study investigates the impact of radiation and stagnation point flow on a porous shrinking surface, with a particular focus on the mass and heat transfer processes influenced by viscous dissipation, heat source/sink effects, and mass diffusion. The governing equations for velocity, temperature, and concentration are transformed from partial differential equations into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations using appropriate similarity transformations. These equations are then solved under specified boundary conditions incorporating energy equations with radiation and heat source/sink effects using the BVP4C solver alongside the shooting method in MATLAB. Key physical parameters, including mass and heat transpiration, Prandtl number, thermal radiation, viscous dissipation, and Lewis number, are analyzed through both tabular and graphical methods. The main findings reveal that an increased magnetic field intensity significantly amplifies the local skin friction, as depicted in the corresponding contour plots. Moreover, escalating levels of thermal radiation, viscous dissipation, and Lewis number result in an expanded thermal boundary layer, which in turn leads to diminished concentration and temperature contours. These results have substantial implications across engineering, biological, and physical sciences and present practical utility in applications such as engine lubricant purification and thrust bearing technologies.