A sensitivity analysis of MHD nanofluid flow across an exponentially stretched surface with non-uniform heat flux by response surface methodology

Abstract

The current study investigates the MHD flow of nanofluid across an elongating surface while taking into account non-uniform heat flux. For this, we have considered the flow of a boundary layer over a stretched sheet containing (water-based) Al2O3 nanoparticles. The convective boundary conditions for temperature have been invoked. The flow created by a surface that is exponentially expanding in the presence of a magnetic field and a non-uniform heat flux has been mathematically formulated by using laws of conservation. Transformed non-dimensional systems of governing equations have been analyzed numerically by using Adam’s Bashforth predictor corrector approach. The effects of emerging parameters on the fluid velocity and temperature profiles have been further described by plotting graphs. An experimental design and a sensitivity analysis based on Response Surface Methodology (RSM) are used to examine the effects of various physical factors and the dependence of the response factors of interest on the change of the input parameter. To establish the model dependencies of the output response variables, which include the skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number, on the independent input parameters, which include the magnetic field parameter, the nanoparticle volume fraction, and the heat transfer Biot number, RSM is used. On the basis of statistical measures such as Q - Q residual plots, adjusted and hypothesis testing using p values, it is observed that both of our models for Skin Friction Coefficient (SFC) and the Local Nusselt Number (LNN) are best fitted. Further, it is concluded that the sensitivity of the SFC, as well as the LNN through heat transfer Biot number, is greater than that of nanoparticle volume fraction and magnetic field parameter. The SFC is sensitive to all combinations of the input parameters. At high levels of heat transfer Biot number, the LNN displays negative sensitivity via magnetic field parameters.