Heat transfer analysis of free convection of a non-Newtonian power law fluid over a vertical plate with constant heat flux

Free convection of non-Newtonian power law fluids over a vertical surface with constant heat flux is studied. The laminar hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layer effects with varying non-dimensional parameter a for pseudoplastic, Newtonian and dilatant fluids are analyzed. Non-linear coupled higher order differential equations for the above cases are formulated and solved using quasilinearization method. A computer program is developed in C language to obtain numerical solutions for variable flow behaviour index n and σ. The plots of(i) non-dimensional velocity against similarity variable η, (ii) non-dimensional temperature against similarity variable η, (iii) velocity gradient at wall against σ, and (iv) non-dimensional temperature against a are obtained.