Parametric optimisation for heat transfer through nanofluid impinging upon a Riga plate: the Taguchi method

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the flow and heat transfer characteristics of the stagnation point flow of Casson nanofluid towards a Riga plate. The mathematical modelling of the problem is carried out by using Buongiorno's two-phase model for convective heat transport within nanofluids. The solution methodology includes the process of transforming the system of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) into a set of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) which then solved using a semi-analytical Optimal Homotopy Analysis Method (OHAM). The influence of various flow parameters on the skin friction coefficient ( C f x ) and Nusselt number is presented and analysed graphically. Furthermore, a parametric study for the optimisation of skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number ( N u x ) is performed using the Taguchi analysis along with ANOVA and the multivariate regression analysis. The parametric optimisation reveals that for skin friction coefficient, EMHD parameter is most significant term, whereas Prandtl number is found to be the parameter with the highest influence on the Nusselt number. The findings of the study may have bearings in engineering and industrial applications such as the thermal design of industrial equipment dealing with molten plastics and polymeric liquids.