Analysis of bioconvection in the suspension of Maxwell nanoparticles with gyrotactic microorganisms: A Prandtl effective approach

Abstract

Purpose

An increment in energy efficiency by employing nanoparticles is a hot topic of research in present era due to its abundant implications in modern engineering and technological processes. Therefore, the current research analysis reported the viscoelastic nanofluid flow over porous oscillatory moving sheet in the presence of microorganisms. A rate-type fluid namely Maxwell fluid is employed with the addition of nanoparticles. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

First, acceptable dimensionless variables are defined to convert the system of dimensional form into the system of dimensionless forms. Later on, the self-similar solution of the boundary value problem is computed by using the homotopy analysis method. The obtained results of velocity, temperature, mass concentration and motile microorganism density profiles are interpreted through physical background.

Findings

The presence of both thermophoresis and Brownian motion parameters also improve the thermophysical features of non-Newtonian nanoparticles. It is also pointed out that the presence of porous medium and magnetic force enhances the nanoparticles concentration. Moreover, a weaker distribution of gyrotactic microorganism has been depicted with Peclet number and bioconvection Lewis parameter.

Originality/value

No such article exists in the literature yet.

Citation

Khan, S.U., Shehzad, S.A. and Ali, N. (2020), "Analysis of bioconvection in the suspension of Maxwell nanoparticles with gyrotactic microorganisms: A Prandtl effective approach", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 835-849. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-09-2019-0177