Modelling of a Steady Micropolar Nanofluid Flow along a Wedge

Abstract

Micropolar fluids are polarized fluids hence have better thermal conductivity properties. The incorporation of nanoparticles into micropolar fluids further enhances their thermal conductivity performance. The gyration characteristic of these fluids is significant in fields such as astrophysics, stellar dynamics, and dynamic theory. Flow along wedge structures has important application in aerodynamics, hydrodynamics heat transfer and industrial processes. The main aim of the study is to investigate the steady micropolar nanofluid flows along a wedge and determine the effect of microparameter, wedge parameter, concentration and unsteadiness, magnetic field on the fluid flow. In this study, a two-dimensional steady flow of a micropolar nanofluid along the surface of a wedge with a uniform surface temperature, a uniform upstream velocity, pressure, temperature with a perpendicularly applied magnetic field was considered. By incorporating gyration and inertial effects into the Navier-Stokes equations, the flow is modeled and converted to ordinary differential equations through similarity transformation. Then solved numerically by Fourth-Order Runge-Kutta method, in combination with the shooting technique and the bvp5c solver in MATLAB. Results reveal that increase in magnetic and micropolar parameters reduces the fluid velocity due to higher rotational viscosity, however, micropolar effects increases the temperature, solute concentration, energy and mass transfer. Additionally, skin friction is highest at the least wedge parameter and magnetic parameter, fluid velocity and enhances mass heat and mass transfer regardless of the magnetic field strength. Higher values of the micropolar parameter led to reduced velocities in both primary and secondary directions. An increased micropolar effects raised the temperature and solute concentration. Heat and mass transfer is highest at the highest wedge parameter irrespective to the strength of the magnetic field. Skin friction increases with an increase in wedge parameter. Sherwood numbers resulted in decreased solute concentration and elevated temperatures. The reduced solute dispersion and enhanced temperature retention.