Free Convection Flow along an Infinite Vertical Plate with Time-Varying Suction

Abstract

Free convection flow up a vertical infinite plate subjected to a periodic suction is discussed when the plate temperature oscillates with respect to time over a constant mean. In particular, the response of the mean velocity and temperature profiles to the fluctuating components of the suction velocity and the plate temperature is analysed. For small amplitudes, the mean skin friction increases with the frequency while the mean heat transfer at the plate is independent of it but varies linearly as the product of the amplitudes. For Prandtl number P=1, solutions are also presented when the suction velocity in any arbitrary function of time provided it changes slowly.