Homotopy analysis method for unsteady mixed convective stagnation-point flow of a nanofluid using Tiwari-Das nanofluid model

Abstract

Purpose

The current study is mainly motivated by the need to the development of the transient MHD mixed convection stagnation-point flow and heat transfer of an electrically conducting nanofluid over a vertical permeable stretching/shrinking sheet by means of Tiwari-Das nanofluid model. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of the parameters governing the flow i.e. the nanoparticle volume fraction, the unsteadiness parameter, the magnetic parameter, the wall transpiration parameter, the mixed convection parameter and the velocity ratio parameter on dimensionless velocity and temperature distributions, skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number.

Design/methodology/approach

The mathematical model has been formulated based on Tiwari-Das nanofluid model. Three different types of water-based nanofluid with copper, aluminum oxide (alumina) and titanium dioxide (titania) as nanoparticles are considered in this investigation. Using appropriate similarity variables, the governing equations are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations in the dimensionless stream function, which is solved analytically by the well-know homotopy analysis method. The present simulations agree closely with the previous studies in the especial cases.

Findings

The results show that by increasing the nanoparticle volume fraction, the unsteadiness parameter, the magnetic parameter, the wall transpiration parameter, the mixed convection parameter or reducing the velocity ratio parameter, the skin friction coefficient enhances. Furthermore, the local Nusselt number enhances with different rates by increasing the nanoparticle volume fraction, the unsteadiness parameter, the magnetic parameter, the wall transpiration parameter, the mixed convection parameter and the velocity ratio parameter. Besides, the skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are highest for copper-water nanofluid compared to the alumina-water and titania-water nanofluids.

Originality/value

Tiwari-Das nanofluid model has not been applied for the flow with these characteristics as mentioned in the paper. A comprehensive survey on boundary layer behavior has been presented. There are few studies regarding as analysis on thermal and hydrodynamics boundary layer. All plots presented in the paper are new and did not report in any other study. The effects of the parameters governing the flow on skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number have been illustrated in the paper while there are some conflicts with previous published article that have been interpreted in details in the paper.

Citation

Dinarvand, S., Hosseini, R. and Pop, I. (2016), "Homotopy analysis method for unsteady mixed convective stagnation-point flow of a nanofluid using Tiwari-Das nanofluid model", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 40-62. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-12-2014-0387