Scrutinization of local thermal non-equilibrium effects on stagnation point flow of hybrid nanofluid containing gyrotactic microorganisms: a bio-fuel cells and bio-microsystem technology application

Abstract

The impact of Stefan blowing on the stagnation point flow of HNF (hybrid nanofluid) across a sheet containing gyrotactic microorganisms under local thermal non-equilibrium conditions (LTNECs) is briefly discussed in this paper. The present work uses a simplified mathematical model to inspect the characteristics of heat transfer in the absence of LTNECs (local thermal equilibrium conditions). LTNECs, traditionally provide two distinct fundamental temperature gradients for the liquid and solid phases simultaneously. A hybrid nanofluid is a mixture of water as the base fluid and single-walled carbon nanotubes and multi-walled carbon nanotubes . Gyrotactic microorganisms are included into nanoparticles to increase their thermal efficiency in a variety of systems, including microbial fuel cells, enzyme biosensors, bacteria powered micromixers, chip-shaped microdevices like bio-microsystems, and micro-volumes like microfluidic devices. This model can also help environmental engineering by enhancing wastewater treatment procedures by allowing microorganisms to break down pollutants more effectively. It advances the development of more productive photo bioreactors, increasing the output of biofuels in the field of renewable energy. Material scientists can utilize this concept to develop controlled nanostructured materials with consistent composition and thermal properties. The considerable similarity transformation is used to build ordinary differential equations for the nonlinear dimensionless system. This problem is solved numerically by using the Bvp4c method. The results determine that when the Stefan blowing parameter increases, fluid flow increases but temperature, mass transfer rate, and heat transfer are decreased.

Graphical abstract