Modelling and Simulation of 2-Dimensional Maxwell Nanofluid Using Cattaneo Christov Heat Flux Model

Abstract

Boundary layer flows have a vast application in various fields due to heat transfer. Now scientist and researchers are using nanofluids, which is an engineered heat transfer fluid prepared by nanometer sized particles, for enhancing the heat transfer rate. As our main work was on Maxwell materials (which are also known as Maxwell fluids) the governing equations for nanofluid were developed by combining upper convective Maxwell fluid model and Cattaneo Christov heat flux model. In order to formulate the mathematical model of nanofluid, non- homogeneous model and homogeneous model were considered. Simulations were performed on Ethanol based non-Newtonian nanofluid for 2-dimension boundary layer flow due to the linearly stretching sheet. As in non-homogeneous model heat flux is the sum of conductive heat flux and diffusive heat flux due to nanoparticles, while doing literature review it was observed that the part of diffusive heat flux is neglected in the derivation of energy equation for non-homogeneous model using Canttaneo-Christov heat flux model which is incorporated in this thesis. The numerical results were obtained using Keller-Box method and bvp4c in Matlab. Thermal relaxation parameter and fluid relaxation parameter are exhibiting the increasing behavior on thermal boundary layer profile and skin friction coefficient respectively with homogeneous model. In non-homogeneous model Prandtl number, thermal relaxation parameter and Brownian motion parameter are reducing the thickness of thermal boundary layer and concentration boundary layer. For revised Canttaneo-Christov heat flux model we have obtained unrealistic results for high values of Brownian motion parameter. The results are present in both tabular and graphically in their respective chapters and the conclusions are present at the end.