Effects of viscous dissipation on natural convection flow over a sphere with temperature dependent thermal conductivity in presence of heat generation

Abstract

In this paper, the steady two-dimensional laminar incompressible flow over a sphere in the presence of viscous dissipation and heat generation is considered. Thermal conductivity is assumed as a linear function of temperature. The governing equations are solved numerically by numerical solution strategy as per requirement and suitability. The obtained self similar equations are then solved numerically by an implicit, tri-diagonal, finite-difference method with Keller Box scheme. Favorable comparison with previously published work is performed. Computations are performed for a wide range of the governing flow parameters such as thermal conductivity variation parameter  , heat generation parameter Q, Prandtl number Pr and Eckert number Ec. The computational findings for the dimensionless velocity, temperature profiles as well as for the skin-friction coefficient and heat transfer rate are presented in tabular form and graphically.