Numerical exploration of a non-Newtonian Carreau fluid flow driven by catalytic surface reactions on an upper horizontal surface of a paraboloid of revolution, buoyancy and stretching at the free stream

Geometrically, the upper pointed surface of an aircraft and bonnet of a car are examples of upper horizontal surfaces of a paraboloid of revolution (uhspr). The motion of these objects strongly depends on the boundary layer that is formed within the immediate space on it. However, each of these surfaces is neither a horizontal/vertical nor cone/wedge and neither a cone nor a wedge. This article presents the motion of 2-dimensional Blasius flow of Carreau fluid on the surface of such object. The case in which the reaction between the Carreau fluid and catalyst at the surface produces significant temperature differences which consequently set up buoyancy-driven flows within the boundary layer is investigated. Single first-order Arrhenius kinetics is adopted to model the reaction on the surface of the catalyst situated on uhspr which initiates the free convection. Suitable similarity variables are applied to non-dimensionalized, parameterized and reduce the governing partial differential equations to a coupled ordinary differential equations (BVP). The BVP is solved numerically using the shooting technique. Temperature distribution in the flow of viscoelastic Carreau fluid is greater than that of a Newtonian fluid. Local heat transfer rate decreases faster when the Carreau fluid is characterized as shear-thinning. Maximum concentration is guaranteed at a small value of power-law index n and large value of thickness parameter.