Stagnation point flow of a micropolar fluid filled with hybrid nanoparticles by considering various base fluids and nanoparticle shape factors

Abstract

Purpose

The boundary-layer analysis is required to reveal the fluid flow behavior in several industrial processes and enhance the products’ effectiveness. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the buoyancy or mixed convective stagnation-point flow (SPF) and heat transfer of a micropolar fluid filled with hybrid nanoparticles over a vertical plate. The nanoparticles silver (Ag) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) are scattered into various base fluids to form a new-fangled class of (Ag-TiO₂/various base fluid) hybrid nanofluid along with different shape factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The self-similarity transformations are used to reformulate the leading requisite partial differential equations into renovated non-linear dimensionless ordinary differential equations. The numerical dual solutions are gained for the transmuted requisite equations with the help of the bvp4c built-in package in MATLAB software. The results are validated by comparing them with previously available published data for a particular case of the present study.

Findings

The impact of various pertaining parameters such as nanoparticle volume fraction, material parameter, shape factor and mixed convective on temperature, heat transfer, fluid motion, micro-rotation and drag force are visualized and scrutinized through tables and graphs. It is observed that dual or non-uniqueness outcomes are found for the case of buoyancy assisting flow, whereas the solution is unique in the buoyancy opposing flow case. Additionally, the fluid motion and micro-rotation profiles decelerate in the presence of nanoparticle volume fraction, while the temperature augments.

Originality/value

The mixed convective stagnation point flow conveying TiO₂/Ag hybrid nanofluid with micropolar fluid with various shape factors is the significant originality of the current investigation where multiple outcomes are obtained for the assisting flow. The various base fluids such as glycerin, water and water–ethylene glycol (50%:50%) are considered in the present problem. The bifurcation values of the considered problem do not exist, probably because of various base fluids. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is new and original which were not previously reported.

Citation

Khan, U., Zaib, A., Pop, I., Abu Bakar, S. and Ishak, A. (2022), "Stagnation point flow of a micropolar fluid filled with hybrid nanoparticles by considering various base fluids and nanoparticle shape factors", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 32 No. 7, pp. 2320-2344. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-07-2021-0445