Some two-dimensional flows with couple stresses

The effect of couple stresses on some two-dimensional flows is considered. The numerical solutions are obtained by the shooting method using the Runge-Kutta algorithm in the four flow problems for a couple stress fluid, namely, for the Blasius, Sakiadis, stretching, and stagnation-point flows. The obtained solutions are nonsimilar for the Blasius and Sakiadis flows. The results are interpreted concerning the influence of the couple stress parameter which is a measure of the polarity of a fluid. It is shown that for large values of this parameter the solution converges to the solution for a Newtonian fluid.