Steady Oscillatory Flow in a Bifurcating Green Plant

Abstract

Steady oscillatory flow in a bifurcating green plant is investigated. The channel is assumed axisymmetrical and porous; the fluid is Newtonian, incompressible, electrically conducting and chemically reactive but of the order one homogeneous type. The models are developed using the Boussinesq’s approximations. The nonlinear and coupled equations governing the flow are non-dimensionalized and solved analytically using the similarity transformation and perturbation series solutions.  Expressions for the concentration, temperature and velocity are obtained and presented in tabular form. The results show that the increase in the chemical reaction rate, Hartmann number (for 0.1≤M2≤1.0), Heat generation parameter, Grashof number (for 0.1≤Gr≤1.0), Peclet number and Reynolds number increase the concentration and velocity, and specifically, the increase in the bifurcation angle decreases the concentration but increases the velocity. Furthermore, it is seen that for Hartmann number M2≥5.0 the velocity drops. This model has relevance to agriculture. In fact, the increase in the flow variables enhances the growth and yield of plant (crops).