Temperature Gradient Research Articles

Effect of rib width on the thermo-electro-mechanical behavior of solid oxide fuel cells

In this study, a three-dimensional multi-physics coupled model is employed to investigate the effects of the rib width of the cathode-side interconnect on the flow characteristics, electrochemical performance, temperature distribution and stress distribution of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) under cross-flow conditions based on a fixed gas channel-electrode interface area. The results show that as the rib width is reduced, there is a marked improvement in the uniformity of gas distribution and gas flow velocity within the channels, leading to an increase in the output power density of the SOFC stack, a reduction in the temperature gradient of the cell and a reduction in the thermal stress carried by the cell. However, if the ribs are of insufficient width, the pressure drop within the channels will be significantly increased, reducing the static pressure head of the gas and leading to a decrease in the gas flow velocity within the electrodes. This, in turn, will result in an increase in concentration polarization and higher manufacturing costs. The simulation results facilitate a more detailed comprehension of the internal reaction processes of SOFCs, thereby offering valuable guidance for the structural optimization of interconnects.

Energy Conversion Associated With Anomalous Magnetic Topology Sublayers in the Inner Low‐Latitude Boundary Layer

AbstractThe low‐latitude boundary layer (LLBL) is a crucial region for the transfer of mass, momentum, and energy between the solar wind and the planetary magnetosphere. However, the processes of energy conversion within this layer are not well understood. In this study, the anomalous magnetic topology sublayers (AMTSs) within Earth's inner LLBL are investigated during the local reconnection inactive period, using data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. We present the first in situ observations showing that these AMTSs lead to significant energy conversion within the inner LLBL. The electron populations in AMTSs are dominated by either the magnetospheric or magnetosheath populations, creating a substantial electron temperature gradient between these sublayers. This temperature gradient, in turn, generates non‐ideal electric fields through the pressure gradient term. Our findings improve the understanding of dynamics in the planetary LLBL, highlighting the importance of AMTSs in the energy conversion process.

Flexible concentration control of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in a microfluidic device via AC electrothermal flow

Microfluid preparation at targeted concentration is crucial for lots of applications such as protein crystallization and drug efficacy evaluation. Herein, we report an efficient method to continuously produce Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids at desired concentrations via AC electrothermal (ACET) flow. Two miscible fluids with different initial concentrations are first injected into the device via two separate inlets. The demanded concentrations are obtained under ACET flow, which mixes the fluids into specific states first and obtain the targeted concentrations at outlet afterwards via the voltage and fluid velocity control. To elucidate the underlying principles of fluid concentration control through the ACET effect, we have developed a three-dimensional numerical model coupling the electric, thermal, flow and concentration fields to perform analyses. Our findings indicate that fluid concentration modulation is significantly impacted by both intrinsic fluid properties and external control parameters, including the fluid's apparent viscosity, conductivity, velocity, and driving voltage. Specifically, as the fluid's apparent viscosity increases, the flow weakens, resulting in a higher driving voltage being required to achieve the targeted fluid concentration. The Joule effect and temperature gradient in fluids intensify with increased fluid conductivity, enhancing the ACET flow and correspondingly reducing the necessary driving voltage for concentration control. The duration of the ACET flow in the microchannel varies with the fluid velocity, subsequently affecting the concentration adjustment. The intensity of the ACET flow augments with an increase in the driving voltage, leading to diverse fluid mixing performances and outlet concentrations as the voltage changes. Overall, the fluid concentration control is directly influenced by fluid properties and can be flexibly adjusted through external control of fluid velocity and voltage. The simplicity of the chip design and the flexibility of concentration control offered by this approach make it highly appealing for a wide range of applications that require precise fluid concentration control.

The Response of Cloud Precipitation Efficiency to Warming in a Rainfall Corridor Simulated by WRF

Due to model errors caused by local variations in cloud precipitation processes, there are still significant uncertainties in current predictions and simulations of short-duration heavy rainfall. To tackle this problem, the effects of warming on cloud-precipitation efficiency was analyzed utilizing a weather research and forecasting (WRF) model. The analysis focused on a rainstorm corridor event that took place in July 2020. Rainstorm events from 4–6 July formed a narrow rain belt with precipitation exceeded 300 mm in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Temperature sensitivity tests revealed that warming intensified the potential temperature gradient between north and south, leading to stronger upward motion on the front. It also strengthened the southwest wind, which resulted in more pronounced precipitation peaks. Warming led to a stronger accumulation and release of convective instability energy. Convective available potential energy (CAPE) and convective inhibition (CIN) both increased correspondingly with the temperature. The precipitation efficiency increased sequentially with 2 °C warming to 27.4%, 31.2%, and 33.1%. Warming can affect the cloud precipitation efficiency by both promoting and suppressing convective activity, which may be one of the reasons for the enhancement of extreme precipitation under global warming. The diagnostic relationship between upward moisture flux and lower atmospheric stability during precipitation evolution was also revealed.

Rapid Scalable One‐step Production of Catalysts for Low‐Iridium Content Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

AbstractProton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is a promising technology for green hydrogen production, although its widespread development with state‐of‐the‐art loadings is threatened by the scarcity of iridium (Ir). Homogeneous dispersion of Ir in an immiscible electro‐ceramic matrix can enhance catalytic mass activity and structural stability. The study presents IrySn0.9(1−y)Sb0.1(1−y)Ox solid solutions produced by highly scalable flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) process as efficient anode electrocatalysts for PEMWE, containing only 0.2 mg cm−2 of Ir in the catalyst layer (CL). Intense mixing of metal vapor and large thermal gradients in the precursor‐derived high‐temperature flame aids stabilizing sub‐nanoscale entropic mixing within self‐preserved 4–6 nm particles. Detailed investigations confirm that the one‐step prepared solid solution electrocatalysts exhibit up to fourfold higher activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) compared to Ir black. The anode of a PEMWE utilizing this catalyst exhibits high performance and stability over 2000 h but with tenfold lower Ir loading than the state‐of‐art.

Fractional change of scattering and absorbing aerosols contributes to Northern Hemisphere Hadley circulation expansion.

The relative amount of scattering and absorbing aerosols is essential in determining the aerosol radiative and climate effects. Using reanalysis datasets and climate simulations, here, we show that changes in the relative amount of scattering and absorbing aerosols in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) high latitudes, manifested as long-term decreasing trends in aerosol single-scattering albedo (SSA), have played an important role in driving the widening and weakening trends of the NH Hadley circulation (HC) since the early 1980s. Decreasing SSA in the NH middle and high latitudes can notably warm the troposphere there, thus reducing the equator-to-pole temperature gradient, increasing static stability in mid-latitude regions, and leading to the widening and weakening trends of NH HC. Further analysis of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) aerosol forcing-only simulations also supports the importance of SSA trends in perturbing NH HC through the above mechanism.

Double-diffusive convection with gravitationally unstable temperature and concentration gradients in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media

Double-diffusive convection with gravitationally unstable temperature and concentration gradients in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media

Impact of sea surface temperature fronts on the spatial distribution of jellyfish in the northern Arabian sea

Identifying the spatial distribution of species and their relationship with environmental factors is crucial for conservation and management efforts. In Pakistan, jellyfish are economically significant and serves as an important fishery resource. This study utilized both in-situ and satellite data to investigate the relationship between fish catch and sea surface temperature (SST) gradient magnitude (GM). Notably, an unusually high subsurface Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) level (∼1.5 mg/m3) was observed, significantly higher than surrounding waters (∼0.5 mgm−3). Additionally, on October 27 at station 6, a high SST GM of 0.097 °C km−1 was recorded alongside an elevated subsurface Chl-a of 1.24 mg/m3. Low salinity levels (<36.2 psμ) were detected in areas with strong frontal activity, while higher levels (>36.7 psμ) were observed in the surrounding regions. Moreover, a high wind stress curl (>0.4 N/m3) was noted in regions with strong SST fronts along coastal and offshore areas of Balochistan and Sindh. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.987) was identified between annual fish catch and catch per unit effort (CPUE). The study revealed a significant fish catch (>200 kg) along the Balochistan coast and the Indus River estuary, with the exception of one offshore catch station. Results also indicated a strong correlated (R2 = 0.73, p < 0.001) between SST GM and fish catch in the upper layer (<50 m depth). By establishing a GM threshold at 0.06 °C km−1, there was an 80% likelihood of achieving a high catch within the upper 50 m layer. These findings enhance our understanding of how SST fronts influence the spatial distribution of jellyfish and improve our ability to forecast jellyfish fishing grounds in the northern Arabian Sea.

Enhancing high-density battery performance through innovative single-phase spray technology in immersion cooling systems

The flow field organization in liquid-cooled BTMS (Battery Thermal Management System) is crucial to the thermal performance of lithium-ion batteries. This study introduces an innovative single-phase spray technology to optimize the flow field and enhance thermal characteristics in BTMS. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations, key factors such as dielectric fluid type, nozzle diameter, spray angle, and nozzle position are analyzed. Novec 7500 is identified as the optimal dielectric fluid, with thermal conductivity and viscosity playing significant roles. Response Surface Analysis and the entropy weight TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution) determine optimal conditions: a 0.47 mm nozzle diameter, 0 mm nozzle offset, and an 88.16° spray angle. These parameters reduce the maximum battery temperature to 25.43 °C and minimize the temperature gradient to 3.41 °C, achieving reductions of 14.20 % and 57.74 %, respectively, compared to non-spray systems. Furthermore, the system reduces the maximum temperature of a 36-cell battery module by 27.28 % to 25.33 °C and the maximum temperature difference by 69.39 % to 4.35 °C. The optimized spray cooling technology is effective for smaller battery stacks and demonstrates the potential to maintain high cooling efficiency in complex systems, providing a solution for BTMS.

Earlier Seasonal March of the East Asian Summer Monsoon in the Mid-Pliocene

Abstract The mid-Pliocene (∼3.3–3 million years ago) has been considered as a potential analog for future climate, but the seasonal march of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM)—a distinctive feature of the modern EASM characterized by a northward migration of the monsoon circulation and rainband from early to late summer—remains unclear in this regard. Here, based on model simulations mainly from the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project Phase 2, we find that the seasonal march of the mid-Pliocene EASM is about two pentads earlier than today. It is accompanied by a northward shift of the monsoon circulation and rainband in July, resulting from both extratropical and tropical processes. For the extratropical path, greener vegetation in the midlatitudes enhances the surface warming, which reduces the meridional temperature gradient. The subsequent weakening and northward shift of the subtropical westerly jet lead to weaker zonal topographic Rossby waves, resulting in an anticyclone over East Asia. For the tropical path, exposure of the Sunda and Sahul shelves weakens the Walker circulation, which suppresses the Maritime Continent convection. The subsequent weakening of the local Hadley circulation increases precipitation in the tropical western North Pacific, which excites a Pacific–Japan meridional teleconnection with anticyclonic circulation over northern East Asia. These processes lead to a northward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high and hence the monsoon rainband. Our results unravel the dominant roles of vegetation and geography in the earlier seasonal march of the mid-Pliocene EASM, and its implications for potential future changes in the EASM’s seasonal march are discussed.

Similarity transform-based numerical analysis of natural convection over an inclined flat plate using nanofluid*

ABSTRACT Nanofluids serve as a working medium in many state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems, where natural convection is a primary medium of thermal energy transfer. Based on the review of recently published literature, the present study is devoted to heat transfer analysis, based on similarity transformations and numerical solutions. The study aims to provide reliable, predictive analytical expressions for heat transfer coefficients and heat transfer rates in a schematic of the natural convection phenomenon. The objective is to analyse laminar free convection across a stagnant Al2O3-water nanofluid layer, spread over an inclined plane surface and exposed to the ambient. A novel similarity transformation method is applied to laminar boundary layer flow, capable of handling coupled influences of flow parameters, thermal boundary conditions and temperature-dependent thermophysical properties. This analysis also considers the effects of concentration and shape factor of nanoparticles on heat transfer. The physical properties are transformed into equivalent (temperature-dependent) physical property factors, along with similarity transformations of velocity and temperature fields. The fifth-order Runge-Kutta method is used to solve the coupled governing equations. The solutions are compared with predictive formulae for wall temperature gradients, heat transfer rates, and the convection heat transfer coefficient. Calculations based on predictive formulae agree well with published data.

Atomistic simulation of primary microstructure formation in metals during crystallization from the melt

Additive manufacturing of metallic parts by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) implies high temperature gradients and small volume of the melt bath. These conditions make the process scales close to those available for state-of-the-art massively parallel atomistic simulations. In the paper, the microscopic mechanisms responsible for the formation of primary microstructure during molten metal solidification are investigated using classical molecular dynamics (CMD). The 316L austenitic stainless steel with face centred cubic lattice, which is widely used in industry including SLM applications was chosen as a material for the CMD simulations. It was shown that solidified material inherits substrate defects and catches new ones, which interact with the solidification front thus producing the primary microstructure. Peculiarities of solidification in different crystallographic directions and solidification front interaction with grain boundaries and newly produced defects (mostly twin boundaries) as well as their formation are under study. Resulting microstructures of virtual samples are compared with those of real samples produced by SLM and analysed by the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method. The comparison shows similarities of EBSD and CMD sample patterns and evidences for the capability of the large-scale atomistic simulations to reproduce main features of the microstructures formed in the metallic SLM additive production.

Electromagnetic-thermal multi-physics coupling simulation of cable joints: considering contact resistance and typical defects

As the “artery” of the urban power grid, high-voltage cables and their operating status are directly related to grid safety. Cable joint is a weak part of cable line prone to defects, leading to cable failure and jeopardizing the power supply reliability. This study constructs a three-dimensional electromagnetic-thermal multi-physics coupling model of cable joint for the analysis of contact resistance and typical insulation defects. Using an equivalent conductivity model, the thermal loss and temperature distribution of the joint were investigated under different contact coefficients. Subsequently, models for air-gap defect and water tree defect in cable joints were established to simulate the temperature and electric field distribution under these conditions. The simulation results indicate that, at an ambient temperature of 25°C, the contact resistance of a 110 kV high-voltage AC cable joint significantly increases the loss density, raising the joint temperature much higher than cable body, while not altering the temperature gradient distribution. Small air-gap has minimal impact on the temperature distribution of joint insulation but causes significant electric field distortion up to 8 kV/mm. Water tree defect considerably affects both temperature and electric field, causing a 20°C temperature rise and a 30 kV/mm electric field distortion. This research reveals the strong influence of contact resistance and water tree defect on cable joints, quantifying the resulting hazards like loss increase, temperature rise and electric field distortion.

Thermophysical modeling of niobium alloys informs materials selection and design for high-temperature applications

There is renewed interest in refractory alloys that possess higher service temperatures than incumbent Ni-based superalloys (⪆1100 °C). Thermophysical property data for six Nb-alloys are gathered from the literature and reviewed, and new data are provided for two Hf-containing Nb-alloys; elastic modulus, thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity are presented for C103, and new thermal conductivity data are provided for a higher strength alloy, WC-3009. Comparisons with Ni-superalloys and other refractory-metal based alloys provide context. Physics-based models are provided that describe the temperature dependencies of the Young’s modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion and density, and thermal conductivity; such that fair comparisons can be made across alloys for any given condition. The results suggest a need for improved understanding of the temperature dependence of the elastic modulus. A performance index is introduced for making informed materials selection decisions in the context of lightweight, panel-shaped applications subjected to sharp thermal transients or steep thermal gradients, and the significant strain rate sensitivity of Nb-alloys is highlighted. Ultimately, the relative value of current commercial alloy, C103, as well as the promise of specific Nb-W-Zr alloys are highlighted.

Quantifying the Role of Ocean Dynamics in SST Variability across GCMs and Observations

Abstract Midlatitude SSTs forced by mesoscale oceanic processes can affect the large-scale atmosphere, pointing to the ocean’s crucial role outside the tropics. Previous studies have shown oceanic mesoscale processes’ effect on global and regional climate variability. This study quantifies the local contribution of ocean dynamics to mixed-layer temperature across the globe by directly estimating the ocean heat flux divergence resolved by state-of-the-art ocean reanalysis, eddy-resolving, and eddy-parameterized versions of two U.S. national climate models and indirectly from air–sea flux satellite-based estimates. Our results show that the eddy-resolving climate simulations resolve mixed-layer temperature variances that are larger and closer to those inferred from observations than both their eddy-parameterized counterparts and ECCO over much of the extratropics. The observations and the eddy-resolving models indicate a more significant role of ocean dynamics in the mixed-layer temperature variability than the surface fluxes over most extratropics compared to their eddy-parameterized versions. A frequency domain analysis shows that the better-resolved ocean mesoscale and thermal gradients enhance the variance over a time scale from 2 months to 30 years. Results show agreement in the ocean’s contribution among satellite-based estimates, ocean reanalysis products, and ocean eddy-resolving simulations. At the same time, differences emerge for ECCO and the eddy-parameterized models, suggesting that surface fluxes account for a larger fraction of the mixed-layer temperature variability in most of the extratropics.

Multiphysics modeling of thermocapillary force driven pore elimination from liquid metal droplets for manufacturing pore-free powders for additive manufacturing

Gas atomization (GA) is a widely adopted method for metal powder production, involving the atomization of molten metal using pressurized gases. Despite its prevalence in additive manufacturing (AM), GA-produced powders often contain pores that can transfer to the as-built parts to deteriorate part quality. Here, we report an approach to achieve pore-free gas-atomized metal powders by inducing a reversed thermal gradient through rapid heating. The resultant thermocapillary force drives the pores out of the molten metal droplets. We demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing rapid heating to eliminate pores from droplets of different metal alloys, using high-fidelity simulation. Furthermore, we derive an analytical model to estimate the critical thermal gradient needed for pore-free powder production.

Mathematical and Buongiorno nanofluid modelling to predict the thermal and solutal performance of magneto-bioconvective Casson nanofluid flowing in a rotatory disk

Abstract This study aims to improve how heat and mass move in systems that use viscoelastic nanofluids under magnetic fields. These systems are commonly used in industries like biotechnology, energy, and medical devices. The significance of this work lies in exploring the steady flow of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Casson nanofluids, incorporating the Buongiorno nanofluid model and swimming microorganisms. This research seeks to deepen the understanding of complex fluid behaviors by examining the effects of thermal radiation and chemical diffusion under thermal and solutal convective boundary conditions. The governing equations, which are inherently nonlinear due to the presence of multiple physical effects, are converted from two-dimensional partial differential equations (PDEs) to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using a similarity transformation. A semi-analytical solution is derived using the collocation pseudo-spectral method within the MAPLE computational software. The study investigates how factors like Casson and magnetic parameters, Eckert number, Brownian motion, and thermophoresis affect the flow rate, temperature distribution, species concentration, and microorganism motility. These results are validated by comparing them with established benchmarks. The key findings reveal a pronounced oscillatory behavior in the temperature profile at higher Eckert number values, while increased Brownian motion and thermophoresis lead to greater nanoparticle dispersion near the disk surface. Higher Lewis and Peclet numbers lead to increased microorganism concentration, demonstrating stronger convective and advective effects. These insights are vital for optimizing drag force, thermal gradients, and mass transfer in engineering applications that involve rotating disks and magnetic fields.

Effects of temperature and salinity on the LC-PUFA biosynthesis and composition of the nereid polychaete Hediste diversicolor fed side streams

The rapid growth of aquaculture has prompted the exploration of alternative and sustainable feed ingredients. Polychaetes, such as Hediste diversicolor, offer promise in the circular economy due to their ability to recycle waste materials from bioindustries and convert low nutritional value fatty acids (FA) into eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and arachidonic (ARA) acids. This study explored the combined effect of temperature and salinity on growth and LC-PUFA biosynthesis in H. diversicolor fed on a side stream diet (33% sludge from salmon aquaculture (AS) and 66% solid-phase digestate from biogas production (SBD)). Polychaetes were cultured for 28 days along a 5-step temperature and salinity gradient ranging from 7.7 to 17.9 °C and 5 to 40 psu, respectively. Growth was highest at high temperatures (≥ 14.3 °C) and salinities (≥ 35 psu). The FA composition remained relatively stable across different culture temperatures, while salinity exhibited higher levels of n − 3 PUFA and n − 3 LC-PUFA at lower salinities (5 and 15 psu) compared to higher salinity (35 psu), mainly driven by EPA. This suggests that salinity may exert a more pronounced effect than temperature on the FA profiles of H. diversicolor. Despite low temperature and high salinity (40 psu) significantly upregulating the expression of elongase and desaturase genes, this was not translated into higher LC-PUFA. Remarkably, polychaetes exhibited high levels of n − 3 and n − 6 LC-PUFA, even when fed a diet deficient in such FA. These findings highlight the potential of H. diversicolor for LC-PUFA biosynthesis, positioning this species as a promising candidate for producing high-nutritional-value ingredients for aquafeeds.

Enzyme stabilisation due to incorporation of a fluorinated non-natural amino acid at the protein surface

We have previously engineered E. coli transketolase (TK) enzyme variants that accept new substrates such as aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes, and also with improved thermal stability. Irreversible aggregation is the primary mechanism of deactivation for TK in the buffers used for biocatalysis, and so we were interested in determining the extent to which this remains true in more complex media, crude cell lysates or even in vivo. Such understanding would better guide future protein engineering efforts. NMR offers a potential approach to probe protein structure changes, aggregation, and diffusion, and19F-labelled amino acids are a useful NMR probe for complex systems with little or no background signal from the rest of the protein or their environment. Here we labelled E. coli TK with two different19F probes, trifluoromethyl-L-phenylalanine (tfm-Phe), and 4-fluoro phenylalanine (4 F-Phe), through site specific non-natural amino acid incorporation. We targeted them to residue K316, a highly solvent exposed site located at the furthest point from the enzyme active sites. Characterisation of the19F-labelled TK variants revealed surprising effects of these mutations on stability, and to some extent on activity. While variant TK-tfm-Phe led to a 7.5 °C increase in the thermal transition midpoint (Tm) for denaturation, the TK-4 F-Phe variant largely abolished the aggregation of the enzyme when incubated at 50 °C19. F-NMR revealed different behaviours in response to temperature increases for the two TK variants, displaying opposite temperature gradient chemical shifts, and diverging motion regimes, suggesting that the mutations affected differently both the local environment at this site, and its temperature-induced dynamics. A similar incubation of TK at 40–55 °C is also known to induce higher cofactor-binding affinities, leading to an apparent heat activation under low cofactor concentration conditions. We have hypothesised previously that a heat-inducible conformational change in TK leads to this effect1. H-NMR revealed a temperature-dependent re-structuring of methyl groups, also at 30–50 °C, which may be linked to the heat activation. While our kinetic studies were not expected to observe the heat activation event due to the high cofactor concentrations used, this was not the case for TK-4 F-Phe, which did appear to heat activate slightly at 45 °C. This implied that the mutations at K316 could influence cofactor-binding, despite their location at 47 Å from either active site. Such long-distance effects of mutations are not unprecedented, and indeed we have previously shown how distant mutations can influence active-site loop stability and function in TK, mediated via dynamically coupled networks of residues. Molecular dynamics simulations of the two19F containing variants similarly revealed networks of residues that could couple the changes in dynamics at residue K316, through to changes in active site dynamics. These results independently highlight the sensitivity of active-site function to distant mutations coupled through correlated dynamic networks of residues. They also highlight the potential influence of surface-incorporated probes on protein stability and function, and the need to characterise them well prior to further studies.

Uncertainty analysis of MHD oscillatory flow of ternary nanofluids through a diverging channel: a comparative study of nanofluid composites

Purpose This study aims to investigate the heat and mass transfer characteristics of a temperature-sensitive ternary nanofluid in a porous medium with magnetic field and the Soret–Dufour effect through a tapered asymmetric channel. The ternary nanofluid consists of Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNT), silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles, with a focus on understanding the thermal behaviour and performance across mono, hybrid and tri-hybrid nanofluids. This paper also examines the thermal behaviour of MHD oscillatory nanofluid flow and carries out an uncertainty analysis of the model using the Taguchi method. Design/methodology/approach The governing equations for this system are transformed into coupled linear partial differential equations using non-similarity transformations and solved numerically with the Crank–Nicolson scheme. The impact of temperature sensitivity at three distinct temperatures (5°C, 20°C and 60°C) is incorporated to analyse variations in viscosity and Prandtl number. The study also examines the combined effects of Soret–Dufour numbers and thermal radiation on heat and mass transfer within the nanofluid. Findings The results demonstrate that the inclusion of BNNT, Ag and Cu nanoparticles significantly enhances heat and mass transfer rate, with copper nanoparticles showing superior performance in terms of skin friction and heat transfer rates. The Soret and Dufour effects play critical roles in modulating heat and mass diffusion within tri-hybrid nanofluids. The study reveals that temperature sensitivity alters heat and mass transfer characteristics depending on the temperature range, with pronounced variations at elevated temperatures. The influence of thermal radiation and the Peclet number is found to significantly impact temperature distribution and overall heat transfer performance within the asymmetric channel. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to analyse the heat and mass diffusion in a ternary nanofluid composed of BNNT, Ag and Cu nanoparticles, considering porous media, oscillatory flow and thermal radiation within a tapered asymmetric channel. The research extends to a novel examination of temperature sensitivity in mono, hybrid and tri-hybrid nanofluids at varying temperature gradients. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of skin friction and heat transfer rates between copper, alumina and ferro composites is presented for optimising the nanofluid performance.