A sixth-order numerical method for a strongly nonlinear singular boundary value problem governing electrohydrodynamic flow in a circular cylindrical conduit

摘要

This paper is concerned with the nonlinear singular boundary value problems for the electrohydrodynamic flow of a fluid in an ion drag configuration in a circular cylindrical conduit. The nonlinearity confronted in this problem is in the form of rational function. We develop a sixth-order numerical method based on sextic B-spline basis functions to obtain a more accurate result for such problem. The velocity field emerging in the electrohydrodynamic flow is computed. Further, the effects of the strength of nonlinearity and the Hartmann electric number on the velocity field are studied. The computational results reveal that nondimensional velocity at the centre line of the conduit increases with increasing Hartmann electric number and decreases with the increasing strength of nonlinearity. Error analysis of the sextic B-spline interpolation is supplemented.