Three-dimensional bioconvection in a nanofluid film over a wedge surface with entropy generation and nonlinear radiation: A revised Buongiorno model

Abstract

ABSTRACT The advances in the field of nanotechnology tends to improve the rate of heat extraction and transmission from foreseeable causes and has fascinated researchers and scientists. Furthermore, nanofluids are having a useful impact on various fields such as nuclear industries, powered lasers, chilling of microelectronic devices, solar energy capture, transformers oil cooling, and in cancer diagnosis. Hence, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) three-dimensional bioconvective flow of nanofluid accommodating gyrotactic microorganisms over a wedge surface with zero nanoparticles mass flux boundary conditions is studied, using large Reynolds number approximation. The additional novelty of the study is the implementation of the revised Buongiorno model, which deliberates the effects of thermo-migration and Brownian diffusion of nanoparticles, together with passive control of nanoparticles fraction on the wedge surface. The self-similar form of conservation equations of energy, nanoparticle fraction, gyrotactic microorganisms, and momentum are handled numerically. T The results of the Blasius and the Hiemenz flows are retrieved as special cases of the model. It was found that the temperature of the nanofluid increases considerably when considering the nonlinear thermal radiation compared to the linear radiant heat. Increasing the strength of the Brownian diffusion increases the heat transport but reduces the mass transport.