Impact of nanoparticles and radiative heat flux in von Kármán swirling flow of Maxwell fluid

Abstract

In this paper, the classical von Kármán swirling flow problem due to a rotating disk is modeled and studied for the rate type Maxwell nanofluid together with heat and mass transfer mechanisms. The model under consideration predicts the relaxation time characteristics. The novel aspects of thermophoresis and Brownian motion features due to nanoparticles are investigated by employing an innovative Buongiorno’s model. The analysis further explores the impact of linear Rosseland radiation on heat transfer characteristics. The concept of boundary layer approximations is utilized to formulate the basic governing equations of Maxwell fluid. The dimensionless form of a system of ordinary differential equations is obtained through similarity approach adopted by von Kármán. The system of equations is integrated numerically in domain [0,∞) by using bvp midrich scheme in Maple software. The obtained results intimate that higher rotation raises the radial and angular velocity components. The nano-particles concentration enhances with Brownian motion parameter. Further, the heat transfer rate at the disk surface diminishes with thermophoresis parameter. The achieved numerical computations of velocity profiles, friction coefficient and Nusselt number are matched in limiting cases with previously published literature and an outstanding agreement is observed.