Field synergy principle in forced convection of plane Couette–Poiseuille flows with effect of thermal asymmetry

The field synergy principle is employed to analyze convection heat transfer enhancement which can be achieved by reducing the included angle between the velocity vector and the temperature gradient (synergy angle). The present study is aimed to scrutinize the relationship of the synergy angle and the field synergy number with other pertinent parameters in forced convection of plane Couette–Poiseuille flows with asymmetric heat-flux wall boundary conditions. This type of problem arises in various engineering processes, such as in the operation of extruders and in various lubrication problems. The variation of the velocity vector is governed by the moving plate velocity while the temperature gradient is affected by both the moving plate velocity and the asymmetrical heat fluxes at the wall boundaries. Analytical solutions are obtained and the effects of thermal asymmetries under the imposition of isoflux at the walls in Couette–Poiseuille flows are analyzed by adopting field synergy principle. The variations of synergy angle with different boundary conditions and the relationship between the Nusselt number and the synergy (coordination) number, are compared and analyzed. The thermal condition at the wall boundary, the variations of the moving plate velocity and the Peclet number are the essential parameters in the synergetic behavior of the system.