Magnetohydrodynamic Nanofluid Flow Dynamics over Curved Surfaces

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) nanofluid flow over curved surfaces explores the interaction between electrically conducting nanoparticle‐laden fluids and applied magnetic fields as they negotiate curved geometries. Curvature introduces centrifugal and pressure‐gradient effects that alter boundary‐layer development, momentum transport and heat transfer compared to flat geometries. The presence of a magnetic field induces Lorentz forces that can be harnessed to dampen or accelerate flow, regulate thermal boundary layers and control nanoparticle distribution. Governing equations typically combine Navier–Stokes and Maxwell’s equations augmented by energy and nanoparticle transport relations, reduced by similarity transformations or curvilinear coordinates. Curvature parameters, magnetic interaction numbers, nanoparticle volume fractions and thermal radiation or internal heat generation terms all influence velocity, temperature and concentration profiles. Practical applications span cooling of curved tubular reactors, MHD pumps, biomedical sensors, entropy‐optimised energy systems and microscale flow control. Advances in hybrid nanofluids, non‐Newtonian rheologies and unsteady flows have further broadened the design space, enabling tailored thermal performance in curved conduits and stretching or shrinking surfaces.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have examined unsteady Casson–Williamson nanofluid flow propelled by a curved stretching sheet under a magnetic dipole. The analysis incorporates Cattaneo–Christov heat flux, thermal radiation, Joule heating, melting and slip conditions. Similarity transformations reduce the governing system to ordinary differential equations, solved via high‐order Runge–Kutta methods. Key findings show that thermal buoyancy augments velocity, while melting and radiation parameters exhibit non-intuitive effects on the temperature distribution. Ferrohydrodynamic interactions slow the flow, and increasing unsteadiness lowers surface drag but enhances heat‐transfer rates. Another investigation has addressed MHD convective transport in a micropolar nanofluid over a curved stretching surface. Employing successive over‐relaxation and quasi-linearisation, the study reveals that increasing curvature elevates temperature and concentration fields, whereas magnetic field strength reduces micro-rotation, velocity and mass‐transfer. The work underlines the competing roles of nanoparticle micro-structures and magnetic damping in curved boundary layers.

Magnetohydrodynamic Nanofluid Flow Dynamics over Curved Surfaces publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid flow dynamics over curved surfaces across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD): The study of the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids under the influence of magnetic fields.

Nanofluid: A base fluid containing dispersed nanoparticles to enhance thermal conductivity and heat‐transfer characteristics.

Curvature parameter: A dimensionless measure of the surface’s curvature influencing centrifugal effects in boundary‐layer flow.

Similarity transformation: A mathematical technique that reduces partial differential equations to ordinary differential equations by collapsing variables into dimensionless groups.

Entropy generation: A measure of irreversibility in a thermodynamic process, accounting for heat transfer, viscous dissipation and other losses.

References

1. Magnetic dipole effects on unsteady flow of Casson-Williamson nanofluid propelled by stretching slippery curved melting sheet with buoyancy force. Scientific Reports (2023).
2. Study of Heat and Mass Transfer in MHD Flow of Micropolar Fluid over a Curved Stretching Sheet. Scientific Reports (2020).
3. Exploration of Multiple Transfer Phenomena within Viscous Fluid Flows over a Curved Stretching Sheet in the Co-Existence of Gyrotactic Micro-Organisms and Tiny Particles. Mathematics (2022).
4. Entropy Generation Analysis for MHD Flow of Hybrid Nanofluids over a Curved Stretching Surface with Shape Effects. Journal of Nanomaterials (2022).