Int. J. Appl. Comput.

Math (2019) 5:59

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40819-019-0644-9

ORIGINAL PAPER

Unsteady MHD Flow in a Porous Channel with Thermal

Radiation and Heat Source/Sink

O. D. Makinde1 · Z. H. Khan2,3 · R. Ahmad4,5 · Rizwan Ul Haq6 · W. A. Khan7

© Springer Nature India Private Limited 2019

Abstract
The current study investigates the unsteady flow of a viscous, incompressible, electrically
and thermally conducting fluid between two infinite parallel porous walls placed at y  0
and y  a. It is assumed that the electrically conducting fluid is driven by a mutual action of
the imposed pressure gradient, thermal buoyancy and heat source or sink. The fluid injection
occurs at the left boundary wall of the flow channel whereas the fluid suction occurs at the right
boundary wall of the flow channel. The flow occurs only when the fluid starts to move with
time. The flow is subjective to a convective heat exchange with the surrounding boundaries.
The unsteady system of the non-dimensional form of PDEs with the corresponding boundary
conditions are solved by employing the explicit Finite Difference Scheme. In the presence
of pertinent parameters, a precise movement of the electrically conducting fluid within the
flow channel is shown graphically in the form of profiles such as velocity, temperature, skin
friction coefficient and Nusselt number. Distinct from the other studies, in which the boundary
layer system of PDEs are usually transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations
by means of the similarity transformations, the current study provides an efficient numerical
procedure to solve the system of PDEs without using the similarity transformations which
illustrate the precise movement of the electrically conducting fluid within the flow channel.

Keywords MHD · Unsteady flow · Porous channel · Buoyancy force · Radiative heat · Heat
source/sink · Finite difference method

List of symbols

(x, y) Cartesian coordinate

u Axial velocity component
p Fluid pressure
k Thermal conductivity
g Gravitational acceleration
Q Heat generation rate
T Temperature

B Z. H. Khan
zafarhayyatkhan@gmail.com
Extended author information available on the last page of the article

0123456789().: V,-vol 123

 59 Page 2 of 21 Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59

t Dimensionless time
h Heat transfer coefficient
B0 Magnetic field strength
Pr Prandtl number
Gr Grashof number
M Magnetic field parameter
Ec Eckert number
Bi Biot number
Re Suction/injection Reynolds number
Nr Thermal radiation parameter
V Suction/injection velocity
cp Specific heat at constant pressure
U Dimensionless velocity
Ta Ambient temperature
T0 Initial temperature
a Channel width
k* Mean absorption coefficient

Greek Symbols

σ Electrical conductivity
β Thermal expansion coefficient
α Thermal diffusivity
λ Heat source parameter
ρ Fluid density
υ Kinematic viscosity
τ Time
θ Dimensionless temperature
η Dimensionless normal distance
σ* Stefan–Boltzman constant

Introduction

Both the steady and unsteady two dimensional electrically conducting and radiating Non-
Newtonian fluid streams over different geometries under the influence of various fluid flow
assumptions have been predominantly investigated by many researchers [1–22] due to their
momentous applications in nuclear power plants, heating and cooling of chambers, induction
pumps aircrafts, space vehicles, thermal convection, electronic cooling etc. In boundary layer
analysis, thermal radiation has established a noteworthy role in heat transfer performance and
has been predominantly used in the design of many advanced energy conversion systems.
Radiation stimuluses within the flow field regime which become more obvious when the
disparities between a surface and the immediate adjacent temperature is enormous [1–3].
The analysis of an optically thick magneto-hydrodynamic viscous fluid flow within the flow
field is considered very indispensable in the formation of a fluid performance in several
applications as examined by England and Emery [6] wherein, they examined the effects
of thermal radiation for the electrically conducting fluid over a stationary vertical plate.

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Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59 Page 3 of 21 59

Radiation effects on the two-dimensional stagnation point flow over a stretching sheet have
been presented by Pop et al. [7]. Ahmad and Khan [16] examined the effects of viscous
dissipation and internal heat generation or absorption on the two dimensional heat transfer
flow of a Non-Newtonian fluid over a moving surface and then later on, they extended their
analysis for the electrically conducting fluids [17] and found the dual solutions pertaining to
the two dimensional MHD flow. Ahmad [20] solely performed the two dimensional analysis
for the electrically conducting fluid over the coupled fluid-sheet interface with mass suction
and blowing. In [20], the author showed full PDE solution for both the fluid and surface
interface and established that the PDE solutions results were found better than the similarity
solution. In another study Ahmad and Khan [21] examined the unsteady boundary layer
analysis of an incompressible two-dimensional MHD fluid over a stretching sheet with heat
source or sink. In the same study, the authors solved the governing system of differential
equations with the help of the Quasi-Linearization (QL) technique which appeared to be a
dominant technique for solving the two dimensional boundary layer flow problems. They
further found some promising results pertaining to the unsteady electrically conducting fluid
flow over a stretching sheet.
In the above-mentioned literature, the researchers have proven various results pertaining
to the two-dimensional laminar boundary layer analyses for both the steady and unsteady
MHD flows within the porous channels. However, in all these studies, the authors have not yet
discovered the investigation of the unsteady flow of a viscous, incompressible, electrically
and thermally conducting fluid between two infinite parallel porous walls placed at two
different locations. In addition to that, they have not examined the electrically conducting
fluid which is driven by the mutual action of the imposed pressure gradient, thermal buoyancy
and heat source or sink and most importantly, have not yet solved the system of higher order
non-linear PDEs with an appropriate technique and to some extent, they transformed the
set of PDEs into a set of ODEs by means of a similarity transformation and then clarified
the corresponding system of ODEs with suitable numerical or analytical technique. The
coupled high order non-linear PDEs solutions in boundary layer analysis for the unsteady
MHD flow with different porous surfaces or regimes are uncommon and this is owing to the
complex nature of the higher order PDEs in the boundary layer analysis. Till now, it has not
been discovered yet. To cover the gap, it is significant to find the solution to the high order
nonlinear PDEs within the current flow analysis as PDEs solution demonstrate the precise
movement of the fluid flows for any categories of fluids in any classes of flow contours or
passages. Keeping in view the above observations, the study motivated us to accomplish the
analysis for the electrically conducting fluid inside the porous walls. To achieve the aim, the
system of higher order nonlinear PDEs are solved with the manifestation of explicit Finite
Difference Scheme (see LeVeque [22]). It is expected that the other scholars in the same field
would also follow the same procedure to make their boundary layer analysis more valuable
and notable. The rest of the study has been arranged in the upcoming sections.

Mathematical Analysis

Consider the unsteady two dimensional flow of a viscous, incompressible, electrically and
thermally conducting fluid between two infinite parallel boundary walls placed at y  0 and
y  a. The flow occurs in the presence of a uniform transverse magnetic field B0 that acting on
the y-axis. It is assumed that the flow is driven by the combined actions of imposed pressure
gradient and thermal buoyancy. Furthermore, a fluid injection takes place at the left boundary

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 59 Page 4 of 21 Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59

x
g
u=0 u=0 B0
-kdT/dy=h( T-Ta ) u, T -kdT/dy=h( T-Ta )

v =V v=V
(Injection) (Suction)

y=0 y=a

Fig. 1 Physical model of the problem

wall of the channel while a fluid suction occurs at the right boundary wall of the channel. At
τ ≤ 0, the fluid temperature in maintained at T 0 and the fluid is in the static position. For large
time (τ > 0), the flow occurs only when the fluid starts to move with the time within the flow
channel and is subjective to a convective heat exchange with the surrounding boundaries.
The coefficient of heat transfer at the walls is h while the ambient temperature is Ta as shown
in Fig. 1.
Taking into consideration the assumptions made above, the governing equations under
under the usual Boussinesq approximation are presented in the following form
∂u ∂u 1 ∂p ∂ 2u σ B02 u
−V − +υ 2 − + βg(T − T0 ), (1)
∂τ ∂y ρ ∂x ∂ y  ρ
∂T ∂T ∂2T 1 ∂qr υ ∂u 2 σ B02 u 2 Q
−V α 2 − + + + (T − T0 ), (2)
∂τ ∂y ∂y ρc p ∂ y cp ∂y ρc p ρc p
with
u(y, 0)  0, T (y, 0)  T0 ,
∂T ∂T
u(0, τ )  0, u(a, τ )  0, −k (0, τ )  h[T (0, τ ) − Ta ], −k (a, τ )  h[T (a, τ ) − Ta ],
∂y ∂y
(3)
where τ , u, p, T , σ , ρ, υ, α, c p , g, Q, β, k, V are respectively, the time, velocity in x-
direction, pressure, temperature, electrical conductivity, density, kinematic viscosity, thermal
diffusivity coefficient, specific heat at constant pressure, gravitational acceleration, heat
source coefficient, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity coefficient and suction
or injection velocity at the walls. Using the Rosseland approximation for thermal radiation
in optically thick media, the radiative heat flux qr is given by (see Rosseland [3])
4σ ∗ ∂ T 4 16σ ∗ T03 ∂ T
qr  − ≈ − , (4)
3k ∗ ∂ y 3k∗ ∂ y
In Eq. (4), σ* is the Stefan–Boltzman constant and k* is the mean absorption coefficient. The
expression in Eq. (3) is achieved by assuming the temperature differences between the fluid
and the channel walls are sufficiently insignificant and T 4 ≈ 4T T03 −3T04 . The dimensionless
variables and parameters are defined as:
y x T − T0 μ ua 16σ ∗ T03
η , X , θ , υ , U , Nr  ,
a a Ta − T0 ρ υ 3kk∗
τυ ∂ P̄ υ σ B02 a 2 υ2
t , A− , Pr  , M  , Ec  ,
a2 ∂X α μ c p (Ta − T0 )a 2

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Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59 Page 5 of 21 59

a2 P βg(Ta − T0 )a 3 Qa 2 Va ha
P̄  , Gr  , λ , Re  , Bi  , (5)
ρυ 2 υ 2 ρc p υ υ k
Substituting equation Eq. (5) into equations Eqs. (1–4), we obtain,
∂U ∂U ∂ 2U
− Re  A+ − MU + Gr θ , (6)
∂t ∂η ∂η2  
  2 
∂θ ∂θ 1 + Nr ∂ θ ∂U 2
− Re  λθ + + Ec + MU ,
2
(7)
∂t ∂η Pr ∂η2 ∂η

with
U (η, 0)  0, θ (η, 0)  0, U (0, t)  0, U (1, t)  0,
∂θ ∂θ
(0, t)  Bi[1 − θ (0, t)], (1, t)  Bi[1 − θ (1, t)] (8)
∂η ∂η
In Eqs. (6–8), Pr is the Prandtl number, Gr is the Grashof number, λ is the heat source
parameter, M is the magnetic field parameter, Ec is the Eckert number, Bi is the Biot number,
Re is the Suction/Injection Reynolds number and Nr is the thermal radiation parameter. The
main quantities of interest are the skin friction coefficient (Cf ) and Nusselt number (Nu)
which are given as
 
a 2 τw ∂U  aqm ∂θ 
Cf   , Nu  −  −(1 + Nr )  , (9)
ρυ 2 ∂η η0,1 kT0 ∂η η0,1
where
 
∂u 16σ ∗ T03 ∂ T
τw  μ , qm  −k 1 + , (10)
∂y 3kk∗ ∂y

Explicit Finite Difference Scheme

To achieve the time-dependent PDE approximate solution, the dimensionless nonlinear sec-
ond order partial differential equations i.e., Eqs. (6–7) subject to the initial and boundary
conditions i.e., Eq. (8) and the skin friction and heat transfer coefficients i.e., Eq. (9)
have been solved with the manifestation of explicit Finite Difference Scheme (see LeV-
eque [22]). In the current study, the dimensionless set of PDEs are well-posed which
means that the solution exists for U (X , t), U (X , 0.75), U  (0, t), U  (1, t), θ (X , t), θ
(X , 0.75), −(1 + Nr )θ  (0, t) and −(1 + Nr )θ  (1, t). If we restrict the embedding param-
eters such as Bi, A, Gr, Nr, M, Ec, Pr, S and λ to fixed values and this is also evident from
the graphical illustrations. To attain the set of PDEs solution, the region of the flow is divided
into mesh of finite lines. Hypothetically, the x term has not been detached during the process
of transformation rather both the x and y terms are used in the variable transformation to
reduce the system of PDEs into a system of dimensionless PDEs (see Eq. 5). The space under
observation has the finite dimension and the explicit difference equations for the system of
PDEs are discretized as follows:

2

⎫
 ∂U  Ui, j −Ui, j ⎪
,⎪
∂U Ui, j+1 −Ui, j ∂ U Ui, j+1 −2Ui, j +Ui, j−1
∂η i, j  η , ∂η2 i, j
 η2
, ∂t i, j  t
⎬

2
 ∂θ  
θi, j −θi, j ⎪
(11)
∂θ θi, j+1 −θi, j ∂ θ θi, j+1 −2θi, j +θi, j−1 ⎪
∂η  η , ∂η2
 (η)2
, ∂t i, j  t , ⎭
i, j i, j

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By inserting Eq. (11) into Eqs. (6–8), we obtain the following explicit form of the finite
difference equations as:

Ui, j − Ui, j Ui j+1 − Ui, j Ui j+1 − 2Ui, j + Ui, j−1
− Re −A + MUi, j − Gr θi, j  0,
t η η2
(12)


θi, j − θi, j θi, j+1 − θi, j 1 θi, j+1 − 2θi, j + θi, j−1
− Re − λθi, j − (1 + Nr )
t η Pr (η)2
 2
Ui, j+1 − Ui, j  2
− Ec − EcM Ui, j  0.
η (13)
The initial and boundary conditions take the following form:
η  0, t  0 : Ui,0
n
 0, θi,0
n
 0,
 

∂θ (0, t) n θ0,
n
j+1 − θ0, j
n
η  0, t > 0 : U0,
n
j  0,   Bi 1 − θ n
(14)
∂η 0, j η 0, j

n θn −θ n

η → ∞, t > 0 : ∂θ ∂η
(L,t)
 L, j+1η L, j  Bi 1 − θ L, n
j , U L, j  0 where L is some
n
L, j
limit at free stream.
The skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number are discretized as
   
Ui, j+1 − Ui, j θi, j+1 − θi, j
Cf  and N u  −(1 + Nr ) (15)
η η0,1 η η0,1
  
Ui, j , Ui, j+1 and θi, j represent the new velocities and temperature components of
Ui, j , Ui, j+1 and θi, j at the end of each time step. The subscripts i and j indicate the
mesh points and the subscript n is represented as t  nt for all n ∈ Z+ where
0 ≤ η ≤ 1 and 0 ≤ t ≤ 1. From the initial conditions, the values of U and θ are
known when t  0. During one time step, the coefficients Ui, j and θi, j , that are appearing in
Eqs. (12–14) are treated as constants. Then at the end of any time-step (t), the temperature
  
θi, j and the new velocities Ui, j and Ui, j+1 at all the interior nodal points are achieved by
the consecutive approximations of Eqs. (12–15). This process is repeated for a transient state
flow. At the end, Ui, j and θi, j converge to values which approximate both the steady state
and unsteady state solutions of Eqs. (12–15). In Eq. (15), the skin friction coefficient and
local Nusselt number have also been formed by employing the finite difference discretiza-
tion. Both the small and large times results are achieved in the current analysis, and both the
steady and unsteady forms of the solutions converge well for the nominated values of the
embedding parameters that are involved in the system of PDEs which is evident from the
graphical profiles and then all the results have been illustrated explicitly in graphical forms.

Results and Discussion

The unsteady flow of a viscous, incompressible, electrically and thermally conducting fluid
between two infinite parallel walls is investigated in the presence of a uniform transverse
magnetic field. The effects of pertinent parameters on the dimensionless velocity, temperature,
skin friction and Nusselt numbers are examined and discussed in detail. Figure 2a depicts
the dimensionless axial velocity between two infinite parallel walls for different values of

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Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59 Page 7 of 21 59

Reynolds number at different times. At the walls, the dimensionless axial velocity satisfies
the boundary conditions. Between the walls, the dimensionless velocity attains maximum
velocity close to the center line and then reduces to zero. It can be seen that the dimensionless
velocity is almost independent of Reynolds number in the beginning and then increases with
an increase in time for larger times. Grashof number plays an important role in free convection
and depends upon the buoyancy force acting on the fluid. When the Grashof number increases,
the temperature difference of the fluid increases which helps in increasing the buoyancy force.
Consequently, the dimensionless velocity increases with Grashof number. This is illustrated
in Fig. 2b. In the absence of magnetic field, the maximum dimensionless velocity between
the walls is found to be highest in each case. This is due to Lorentz force which tends to
reduce the dimensionless velocity. As the magnetic field increases, Lorentz force increases
and as a result the dimensionless velocity reduces. Figure 2b also illustrates this fact.
The effects of thermal radiation and heat source parameters on the dimensionless velocity
are explained in Fig. 3a for the small values of Biot numbers on both walls. As expected, for
smaller values of Biot numbers, the temperature of the fluid and the walls remains uniform.
In the absence of heat source, the maximum velocity between the walls is lower and increases
with the heat source parameter. This is due to the fact that the temperature of the fluid increases
with an increase in the heat source which in turn increases the buoyancy force. In contrast
with heat source parameter, the thermal radiation parameter tends to reduce the maximum
dimensionless velocity between the walls. The effects of Eckert number on the dimensionless
axial velocity for two different fluids are depicted in Fig. 3b. The dimensionless axial velocity
satisfies boundary conditions at both walls. The effect of Prandtl number on the maximum
velocity is found to be minimum at the center. However, the effects of Eckert number on the
dimensionless velocity are more pronounced at the center. In fact, Eckert number is concerned
with the kinetic energy of the flowing fluid which depends upon the velocity of the fluid.
The variation of dimensionless temperature with pertinent parameters is exposed in Figs. 4
and 5 for two different fluids. At both walls, the dimensionless temperature increases with
increasing time for smaller Reynolds numbers (Fig. 4a). For smaller times, the dimensionless
temperature increases from left wall to right wall. But as the time increases, the behavior of
dimensionless temperature is just opposite. The variation of dimensionless temperature with
magnetic field and Grashof number are reported in Fig. 4b. In the absence of magnetic field
and Grashof number, the dimensionless temperature is found to be lowest and increases with
Grashof number. The effects of magnetic field on the dimensionless temperature, however,
are found to be minimum except at the left wall. The variation of dimensionless temperature
with radiation and heat source parameters can be observed in Fig. 5a between both walls.
In the absence of heat source, the dimensionless temperature is found to be minimum and
increases with the heat source parameter at both walls. However, the dimensionless temper-
ature decreases from left to right wall in both cases. When the Biot numbers are specified
at both walls, the dimensionless temperature increases with Bi2 at both walls, whereas the
influence of Bi1 is negligible everywhere. This is demonstrated in Fig. 5b in the presence
of magnetic field. The dimensionless temperature increases with Bi2 at both walls due to
increase in the heat transfer coefficients. The effects of Prandtl and Eckert numbers on the
variation of the dimensionless temperature are explained in Fig. 5c between both walls. These
effects are more pronounced on the left wall due to lower Biot number.
The variation of skin friction with pertinent parameters is elaborated in Figs. 6, 7, 8, and
9 for steady and unsteady states. In the early stages, no effect of magnetic field and Grashof
number could be observed on the left wall (see Fig. 6a, b). As the time increases, the effects
of Grashof number are more pronounced not only at the right wall but also between the walls
in both cases. The effects of Reynold number and pressure gradient on the skin friction with

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Page 8 of 21

Nr = 5, A = M = 2, Gr = λ = Ec = 3, Pr = 6.2, Bi1 = Bi2 = 0.5 Nr = Ec = Bi1 = Bi2 = 0.5, A = 1, Re = 5, λ = 3, Pr = 6.2

0.7
0.5 Re Gr
0.2
0.6 3 0

5 0.5
0.5
0.15
M = 0, 1, 2
0.4
0.3
0.1

U(x, t)
0.3

U(x, 0.75)
0.2 t = 0.1
0.05
0.1

0 0
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) η (b) η
Fig. 2 The dimensionless axial velocity of water as function of a increasing time and Reynolds number and b magnetic field and Grashof number
(2019) 5:59
 Gr = M = 3, A = 1, Re = 0.3, Ec = 5, Pr = 6.2, Bi1 = Bi2 = 0.5 Gr = M = 3, A = Re = 1, Nr = Bi1 = 0.5, λ = 3, Bi2 = 10

0.6
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

0.2

0.5

0.15
(2019) 5:59

0.4

Nr = 0, 3, 6 0.3 Ec = 0, 2, 4
0.1

U(x, 0.75)
U(x, 0.75)
λ 0.2
Pr
0.05 0 3.97
0.1
0.5 6.2

0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) η (b) η
Page 9 of 21

Fig. 3 The dimensionless axial velocity as function of a radiation and heat source parameters and b Eckert and Prandtl numbers
59

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Page 10 of 21

A = M = 2, Nr = Gr = λ = Ec = 3, Pr = 6.2, Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 15 Nr = Bi1 = Re = Ec = 0.5, A = 1, λ = 3, Pr = 6.2, Bi2 = 10

12
Re 2.4
1
10
2.2
3
t = 0.6
8
2

6
1.8 Gr = 0, 2, 4

U (x, t)
U(x, 0.75)
0.4
4 1.6 M
0
2 1.4
0.2
5
0 1.2
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) η (b) η
Fig. 4 The dimensionless temperature of water as function of a increasing time and Reynolds number and b magnetic field and Grashof number
(2019) 5:59
 Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

1.4 λ Bi1 1.6 Pr

0 0.1 3.97 Ec = 2
1.1
1.4
0.5 0.7 6.2
1.3
Gr = Re = Bi2 = 5, M = 3, 1 1.3 1
(2019) 5:59

1.2
A = 1, Ec = Bi1 = 0.5,

Pr = 6.2
1.2 0.9 1 1 0

θ(x, t)
θ (x, t)

θ (x, t)
0.8
0.8
1.1 Bi2 = 0.8 Gr = 5, M = 3, A = 1, Gr = M = 3, A = Re = 1,

Re = 2, Ec = λ = Nr = 0.5,
0.6 Bi1 = λ = Nr = 0.5,
Nr = 0, 3, 6 0.7
Pr = 6.2 Bi2 = 5

1 0.4
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) η (b) η (c)

η
Fig. 5 The dimensionless temperature as function of a radiation and heat source parameters, b Biot numbers at both walls, and c Eckert and Prandtl numbers
Page 11 of 21
59

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 59 Page 12 of 21 Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59

increasing time are displayed in Fig. 7a at the left wall and in Fig. 7b at the right wall. In
the absence of pressure gradient, the skin friction is found to be lowest and increases with
pressure gradient and from left to right wall with increasing time. As expected, the skin
friction varies inversely with the square root of Reynolds number in both cases. The effects
of radiation parameter and Eckert number on skin friction with increasing time are displayed
in Fig. 8a, b. The effects of radiation parameter on the skin friction are found to be negligible.
However, Eckert number tends to increase the skin friction in both cases and is found to be
more pronounced on the right wall. The variation of the skin friction with Prandtl number
and heat source parameter with increasing time is shown in Fig. 9a on the left wall and in
Fig. 9b on the right wall. The effects of Prandtl numbers on the skin friction are found to
be negligible on both walls. However, the heat source helps in increasing skin friction at the
right wall. This is due to the higher value of Biot number at the right wall.
The effects of some important parameters on the Nusselt numbers are displayed in Figs. 10
and 11 for water between two infinite parallel walls in the presence of magnetic field. The
effects of magnetic field on the Nusselt number for two different values of Reynolds number
are shown in Fig. 10a on the left wall and in Fig. 10b on the right wall. In both cases,
the Nusselt number increases with Grashof number and decreases with Reynolds number
and magnetic field under the same conditions. The variation of Nusselt number with Eckert
number for different values of heat source and radiation parameters is shown in Fig. 11a
on the left wall and in Fig. 11b on the right wall. In both cases, each parameter tends to
increase Nusselt number. In Fig. 12, streamlines explain the effects of Reynolds number with
increasing time.

Conclusion

We studied the unsteady flow of a viscous, incompressible, electrically and thermally con-
ducting fluid between two infinite parallel porous walls placed at two different locations
within the flow field. It is assumed that the electrically conducting fluid is driven by the
mutual action of the imposed pressure gradient, thermal buoyancy and heat source or sink.
The fluid injection occurs within the left wall of the flow regime whereas the fluid suction
take place at the right wall of the flow channel. The flow of a fluid occurs only when the
fluid starts to move with the time and is subjective to a convective heat exchange with the
surrounding boundary walls. The unsteady system of dimensionless form of PDEs with the
relevant boundary conditions are solved by employing the explicit Finite Difference Scheme.
In the presence of relevant parameters, a precise movement of the electrically conducting fluid
within the flow regime is graphically illustrated. Unlike the other boundary layer analysis,
wherein, the system of PDEs are commonly converted into a system of Ordinary Differential
Equations (ODEs) via a similarity transformation, the current study provides an efficient
numerical procedure (FDM) to solve the set of PDEs which illustrate the precise movement
of the electrically conducting fluid within the flow channel. Results indicate that the dimen-
sionless velocity of the fluid achieves maximum velocity when it is close to the center of
the boundary walls. It is observed that the dimensionless velocity is almost independent of
the Reynolds number in the beginning and then it started to escalate with the escalation in
time. With an upsurge in Grashof number, the temperature difference of the fluid intensi-
fies which helps in increasing the buoyancy force. The three dimensional streamlines also
elucidate the effects of the Reynolds number with large time. It has been predicted that the
current boundary layer analysis would provide a platform for solving the other system of

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 M 2 M
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

4 0 0.8 0 2

1 1
3 0.6
(2019) 5:59

1 1

2 0.4

Cf|η =0
Cf|η =1
Gr = 0
Gr = 0
1
0.2

Re = 5, A = 1, Nr = 2, λ = Ec = 3, Pr = 3.97, Re = 5, A = 1, Nr = 2, λ = Ec = 3, Pr = 3.97,
Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 10 Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 10
0
0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) t (b) t
Fig. 6 The effects of magnetic field and Grashof number on skin friction with increasing time at a left wall and b right wall
Page 13 of 21
59

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 59

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Page 14 of 21

1.5
Re Re A = 0, 1, 2
8 5 5

10 10
6 1

Cf|η=0
Cf|η=1
0.5
2 A = 0, 1, 2

0 M = λ = Gr = Ec = 3, Nr = 2, Pr = 3.97, M = λ = Gr = Ec = 3, Nr = 2, Pr = 3.97,
Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 10 Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 10
0
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) t (b) t
Fig. 7 The effects of Reynold number and pressure gradient on skin friction with increasing time at a left wall and b right wall
(2019) 5:59
 Nr Nr
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

1.5
4 0 0

2 2
3
1
(2019) 5:59

Cf|η=0
Cf|η =1
Ec = 0, 1, 2
Ec = 0, 1, 2
0.5
1

M = 2, A = 1, Re = Gr = 3, λ = 0.5, M = 2, A = 1, Re = Gr = 3, λ = 0.5,
Pr = 3.97, Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 10 Pr = 3.97, Bi1 = 0.5, Bi2 = 10
0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1

(a) t (b) t
Fig. 8 The effects of radiation parameter and Eckert number on skin friction with increasing time at a left wall and b right wall
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Page 16 of 21

Pr Pr
3.97 3.97
1.5
4 6.2 6.2

1
λ = 0, 1, 2

Cf|η =0
Cf|η =1
2 λ = 0, 1, 2

0.5

M = 0.5, Re = Gr = 3, Nr = Ec = Bi1 = 0.5, M = 0.5, Re = Gr = 3, Nr = Ec = Bi1 = 0.5,

Bi2 = 10, A = 1 Bi2 = 10, A = 1
0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

(a) t (b) t
Fig. 9 The effects of Prandtl number and heat source parameter on skin friction with increasing time at a left wall and b right wall
(2019) 5:59
 0.45
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

Re Re
0.24 3 3
0.4
0.22 3.5 3.5
(2019) 5:59

0.2 0.35

Nu|η =0
Nu|η =1
0.18
0.3

0.16
0.25
0.14
M = 0, 2, 4 M = 0, 2, 4
0.12 0.2
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
(a) Gr (b) Gr
Fig. 10 The effects of Reynolds number and magnetic parameter on Nusselt numbers with increasing Grashof number at a left wall and b right wall
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1.8 2.1
λ λ
0 1.8 0
1.5
0.5 1.5 0.5
1.2
1.2
0.9
0.9

Nu|η=0
Nu|η=1
0.6 0.6

0.3 0.3

0
0 Nr = 0, 2, 4 Nr = 0, 2, 4
Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

(a) Ec (b) Ec
Fig. 11 The effects of heat source and radiation parameters on Nusselt numbers with increasing Eckert number at a left wall and b right wall
(2019) 5:59
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1 1 1
Re = 5 Re = 10 Re = 15

0.8 0.8 0.8

(2019) 5:59

0.6 0.6 0.6

η
η

η
0.4 0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2 0.2

0 0 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
(a) t (b) t (c) t
Fig. 12 Streamlines showing the effects of Reynolds number with increasing time
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 59 Page 20 of 21 Int. J. Appl. Comput. Math (2019) 5:59

the nonlinear PDEs for a relevant types of the unsteady two dimensional and possibly three
dimensional boundary layer fluid flow models. The potential application of this model prob-
lem in engineering and industries can be found in regulated cross-flow filtration processes.
The presence of magnetic field enhances the flow control while simultaneous suction and
injection at the walls provide a veritable platform for engineering mixing in microchannels
as well as convective and radiative heat transfer.

Acknowledgements The corresponding author is profoundly grateful to the financial support of the National
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51709191, 51706149 and 51606130), Key Laboratory of
Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety, Ministry of Education (Grant No. ARES-2018-10) and State Key
Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University (Grant No. Skhl1803).

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Conflict of interest All the authors declare that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest including any
financial, personal or other relationships with other people or organizations.

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institutional affiliations.

Affiliations

O. D. Makinde1 · Z. H. Khan2,3 · R. Ahmad4,5 · Rizwan Ul Haq6 · W. A. Khan7

1 Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X2, Saldanha 7395, South Africa
2 State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource
and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, People’s Republic of China
3 Key Laboratory of Advanced Reactor Engineering and Safety, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua
University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
4 School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072,
Australia
5 Faculty of Engineering Sciences, GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi,
Swabi, KPK, Pakistan
6 Department of Electrical Engineering, Bahria University, Islamabad Campus, Islamabad 44000,
Pakistan
7 Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd
University, P.O. Box 1664, Al Khobar 31952, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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