Laminar free convection flow over a cone embedded in a stratified medium

Free convection flows which arise in a thermally stratified medium are of practical importance. Interest lies in the effect of stratification on temperature and velocity fields that arise in the flow and the consequent heat transfer from a heated body. In many engineering applications coneshaped bodies are often used. Free convection flow over a vertical cone has been studied by Hering and Crosh [I], Hering [2], Lin and Chao [3], Lin [4,] Alamgir [5] and recently by Watanabe [6]. A literature review reveals that the free convection flow over a vertical cone immersed in a stratified medium has not been studied so far. This has motivated us to carry out the present analysis. Laminar free convection flows over bodies of different shapes like vertical plate, sphere and cylinder in a stratified medium have been studied by various investigators; see, for example, Chen and Eichhorn [7-8].