Bioconvective flow of thermally radiative Casson nanofluid with aerobic microorganisms over a stretching surface

Abstract

A mathematical model is proposed to analyze the flow characteristics of a thermally radiative, chemically reacting Casson nanofluid incorporating aerobic microorganisms over a stretching sheet. Nonlinear dimensionless ordinary differential equations are formulated through suitable similarity transformations. The resulting coupled system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations is numerically solved using the finite difference method with the bvp4c routine in MATLAB. The verification of the numerical solution’s accuracy is conducted by comparing it with previously established results under specific conditions pertinent to the present investigation. Skin friction coefficients, local Nusselt number, and Sherwood number are computed for various parameters and their implications for engineering applications are discussed. The investigation also explores the impact of different dimensionless parameters on velocity, temperature, mass concentration, motile microorganism density, and oxygen concentration profiles for both Casson and Newtonian nanofluids, offering a comprehensive analysis. The study highlights that suspending non-Newtonian nanofluids with fast-moving aerobic microorganisms and nanoparticles results in enhanced heat transfer rates, thus presenting potential benefits for practical applications such as the manufacturing of biofilms.