Non-similar analytic solution for MHD flow and heat transfer in a third-order fluid over a stretching sheet

This paper investigates the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow and heat transfer characteristics in the presence of a uniform applied magnetic field. The boundary layer flow of a third-order fluid is induced due to linear stretching of a non-conducting sheet. The heat transfer analysis has been carried out for two heating processes, namely (i) with prescribed surface temperature (PST-case) and (ii) prescribed surface heat flux (PHF-case). The governing non-linear differential equations are solved analytically using homotopy analysis method (HAM). The series solutions are developed and the convergence of these solutions is discussed. Velocity and temperature distributions are shown graphically. The numerical values for the skin friction coefficient and the Nusselt number are entered in tabular form. Emphasis has been given to the variations of the emerging parameters such as third-order parameter, magnetic parameter, Prandtl number and the Eckert number. It is noted that the skin friction coefficient decreases as the magnetic parameter or the third grade parameter increases. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.