Solution of the Jeffery-Hamel flow problem by optimal homotopy asymptotic method

The present article addresses Jeffery-Hamel flow: fluid flow between two rigid plane walls, where the angle between them is 2 alpha. A new analytical method called the optimal homotopy asymptotic method (OHAM) is briefly introduced, and then employed to solve the governing equation. The validity of the homotopy asymptotic method is ascertained by comparing our results with numerical (Runge-Kutta method) results. The effects of the Reynolds number (Re) and the angle between the two walls (2 alpha) are highlighted in the proposed work. The results reveal that the proposed analytical method can achieve good results in predicting the solutions of such problems. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.