Computational analysis of bioconvective flow of nanofluid containing gyrotactic microorganisms over a nonlinear stretching sheet with variable viscosity using HAM

Abstract

Abstract This paper is concerned with the investigation of variable viscosity bioconvection flow of nanofluid containing motile gyrotactic microorganisms over a nonlinear stretching sheet in the presence of nonlinear thermal radiation, chemical reaction, internal heat source, and suction/injection effects. The homotopy analysis method has been developed for solving the governing nonlinear differential equations of the boundary layer flow of nanofluid over a stretching sheet. The scaling group transformation (a special form of Lie group transformation) has been applied to find the similarity variable $\eta $. Figures are drawn by using Mathematica software to analyze the results that correspond to some important physical parameters and bioconvection parameters on velocity, temperature, nanoparticle concentration, and density of gyrotactic microorganisms. It is found that the influence of variable viscosity on velocity profiles showed that there is an increase in the velocity profiles of nanofluid and the reverse effect is observed on its temperature distribution. It is seen that the thermal radiation parameter increases the temperature distribution, whereas it decreases the nanoparticle concentration distribution. It is also found that the inverse Darcy number reduces the velocity profile, whereas it enhances the temperature distribution. This work may find applications in advanced nanomechanical bioconvection energy conversion devices, bio-nanocoolant systems, etc.