Analysis of unsteady flow of a variable viscosity reactive fluid in a slit with wall suction or injection

The coupled nonlinear equations, in rectangular Cartesian coordinates, governing the heat transfer and unsteady pressure-driven flow of a reactive variable viscosity fluid in a thin stationary slit, whose walls are porous, are derived and solved numerically using a semi-implicit finite difference scheme. The chemical kinetics and the temperature dependent viscosity are assumed to follow the Arrhenius rate law. Both numerical and graphical results are presented and discussed quantitatively with respect to various parameters embedded in the problem.

► Reacting flows are a model problem in petroleum engineering processes.
► We investigate the parameter dependence of flow quantities in a typical such pressure driven flow.
► In particular, we observe a decrease in attainable temperatures at low Reynolds and Prandtl numbers.