Finite element solution of mass transfer effects on unsteady hydromagnetic convective flow past a vertical porous plate in a porous medium with heat source

The objective of this chapter is to analyze the effect of mass transfer on unsteady hydromagnetic free convective flow of a viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid past an infinite vertical porous plate in presence of constant suction and heat source. The governing equations of the flow field are solved using Galerkin finite element method and approximate solutions are obtained for velocity field, temperature field, concentration distribution, skin friction and the rate of heat and mass transfer. The numerical results for some special cases were compared with Das et al . [7] and were found to be in good agreement. The effects of the flow parameters such as Hartmann number ( M ), Grashof number for heat and mass transfer ( Gr , Gc) , Permeability parameter ( Kp ), Schmidt number ( Sc ), Heat source parameter ( S ), Prandtl number ( Pr ) and Eckert number ( Ec ) on the flow field are analyzed with the help of figures. The problem has some relevance in the geophysical and astrophysical studies.