Mixed Convection MHD Flow of an Eyring-powell Nanofluid over a Cone with Radiative Heat Transfer and Exponential Internal Heat Generation

Abstract

The present study investigates the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mixed convection flow and heat transfer characteristics of an Eyring-Powell nanofluid over a cone in the presence of nonlinear thermal buoyancy, thermal radiation, Brownian motion, thermophoresis, temperature-dependent heat source, and exponential heat generation. The Buongiorno nanofluid model is employed to account for nanoparticle transport mechanisms. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations describing the flow, thermal, and concentration fields are transformed into a system of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations using suitable similarity transformations. The resulting boundary value problem is solved numerically through the shooting technique combined with the adaptive Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF45) method. The effects of the governing parameters on the velocity, temperature, and nanoparticle concentration distributions, as well as on the skin-friction coefficient, local Nusselt number, and local Sherwood number, are analysed in detail. The results reveal that the mixed convection parameter enhances the fluid velocity, whereas the magnetic field suppresses the flow due to the Lorentz force. The temperature profile increases with increasing thermal radiation, thermophoresis, temperature-dependent heat source, and exponential heat generation parameters, while the nanoparticle concentration decreases with increasing Lewis number and increases with thermophoresis effects. Furthermore, enhanced Brownian motion reduces nanoparticle concentration within the boundary layer. The present findings provide useful insights for the design and optimisation of thermal systems involving non-Newtonian nanofluids in cone-shaped geometries, including heat exchangers, aerospace components, thermal processing equipment, and advanced cooling technologies.