Nonlinear Eyring–Powell bioconvective nanofluid flow over a vertical plate with temperature dependent viscosity and surface suction

Abstract

In-situ bioremediation, microbial fuel cell formation, and microbial oil recovery are impossible without the use of bioconvective nanofluids. Therefore, a two-dimensional flow of bioconvective Eyring–Powell nanofluids with the introduction of temperature-dependent viscosity and surface suction on a vertical plate has been developed. The Buongiorno nanofluid model is introduced to establish the energy and momentum equations, and the radiation characteristics are introduced into the energy equation using the Rosseland's approximation. The Rosseland's approximation is a fast method for simulating the radiation transport in fluid dynamics. The basic equations of momentum and temperature are solved numerically with the MATLAB bvp4c scheme. The influence of various physical parameters on the velocity, temperature and concentration distribution is analyzed and discussed quantitatively. Suction lowers the temperature but increases the rate of heat transfer. With the enhancement of the Brownian movement and the thermophoretic movement, the temperature distribution of the Brownian movement increases faster than the temperature distribution of the thermophoretic movement, as does the volume fraction of the nanoparticles. The Biot number Bi can increase the temperature and concentration of nanoparticles. The higher the Lewis number, the lower the concentration of microorganisms. The opposite trend can be observed as the Peclet number Pe increases. The suction reduces the concentration of the microorganisms and the magnetic field increases the concentration of the microorganisms.