Entropy Generation Analysis for Variable Thermal Conductivity MHD Radiative Nanofluid Flow through Channel

The present work inspects the entropy generation on radiative heat transfer in the flow of variable thermal conductivity optically thin viscous Cu–water nanofluid with an external magnetic field through a parallel isothermal plate channel. Our approach uses the power series from the governing non-linear differential equations for small values of thermal conductivity variation parameter which are then analysed by various generalizations of Hermite- Padé approximation method. The influences of the pertinent flow parameters on velocity, temperature, thermal conductivity criticality conditions and entropy generation are discussed quantitatively both numerically and graphically. A stability analysis has been performed for the rate of heat transfer which signifies that the lower solution branch is stable and physically acceptable, whereas the upper solution branch is unstable.

Keywords:

Channel flow , Irreversibility analysis , Thermal radiation , variable thermal conductivity , Nanofluid , Bifurcation