Effect of Combined Particle-Phase Diffusivity and Viscosity on the Compressible Boundary Layer of a Particulate Suspension Over a Flat Plate

A mathematical dilute fluid-particle suspension model governing steady, laminar, compressible, boundary layer flow and heat transfer over a semi-infinite flat plate based on the Eulerian or continuum approach is developed. The model accounts for both particulate viscous and diffusive effects. Both the fluid and the particle phases are assumed to have general power-law viscosity-temperature relations. For the case of finite particle-phase viscosity, a general boundary condition borrowed from rarefied gas dynamics is used for the particle phase at the surface. Uniform and nonuniform particle-phase slip coefficients are investigated. Numerical solution of the governing equations is obtained by an implicit, iterative, tridiagonal finite difference method. Graphical results for the displacement thicknesses and skin-friction coefficients of both phases as well as the wall heat transfer are presented for various parametric conditions.