Numerical study of entropy generation for forced convection flow and heat transfer of a Jeffrey fluid over a stretching sheet

Entropy generation for the steady two-dimensional laminar forced convection flow and heat transfer of an incompressible Jeffrey non-Newtonian fluid over a linearly stretching, impermeable and isothermal sheet is numerically investigated. The governing differential equations of continuity, momentum and energy are transformed using suitable similarity transformations to two nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Then the ODEs are solved by applying the numerical implicit Keller's box method. The effects of various parameters of the flow and heat transfer including Deborah number, ratio of relaxation to retardation times, Prandtl number, Eckert number, Reynolds number and Brinkman number on dimensionless velocity, temperature and entropy generation number profiles are analyzed. The results reveal that the entropy generation number increases with the increase of Deborah number while the increase of ratio of relaxation to retardation times causes the entropy generation number to reduce. A comparative study of the numerical results with the results from an exact solution for the dimensionless velocity gradient at the sheet surface is also performed. The comparison shows excellent agreement within 0.05% error. (C) 2014 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University.