Thermal dispersion effects on non-Darcy convection over a cone

The similarity solution for non-Darcy mixed convection about an isothermal vertical cone with fixed apex half angle, pointing downwards in a fluid saturated porous medium with uniform free stream velocity is obtained. The effect of thermal dispersion is studied in both the aiding and opposing flows. Flow separation is observed when the forced and free convection act in opposite directions. It is interesting to note that when buoyancy effects are neglected, the similarity solution exists for all realistic power law variations of the wall temperature, and for uniform free stream velocity, a closed form solution is possible for the isothermal wall temperature and uniform free stream. The heat transfer is enhanced due to the thermal dispersion effects. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.