Optimizing bioconvective heat transfer with MHD Eyring–Powell nanofluids containing motile microorganisms with viscosity variability and porous media in ciliated microchannels

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to optimize bioconvective heat transfer for magnetohydrodynamics Eyring–Powell nanofluids containing motile microorganisms with variable viscosity and porous media in ciliated microchannels.

Design/methodology/approach

The flow problem is first modeled in the two-dimensional frame and then simplified under low Reynolds number and long wavelength approximations. The numerical method is used to examine the impact of thermal radiation, temperature-dependent viscosity, mixed convection, magnetic fields, Ohmic heating and porous media for velocity, temperature, concentration and motile microorganisms. Graphical results are presented to observe the impact of physical parameters on pressure rise, pressure gradient and streamlines.

Findings

It is observed that the temperature of nanofluid decreases with higher values of the viscosity parameter. It is absolutely in accordance with the physical expectation as the radiation parameter increases, the heat transfer rate at the boundary decreases. Nanoparticle concentration increases by increasing the values of bioconvection Rayleigh number. The density of motile microorganisms decreases when bioconvection Peclet number is increased. The velocity of the nanofluid decreases with higher value of Darcy number. With increase in the value of bioconvection parameter, the flow of nanofluid is increased.

Originality/value

The bioconvective peristaltic movement of magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid in ciliated media is proposed. The non-Newtonian behavior of the fluid is described by using an Eyring–Powell fluid model.