Analytical Modeling of Heat Transfer Characteristics in Magnetohydrodynamic (Mhd) Cobalt Ferrite (Cofe2o4) Nanofluid Flow within a Cartesian Framework
Adetoye Solomon Ojo *
Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt, PMB 5323 Choba, Nigeria.
Ikechukwu Jeremiah Chukwuocha
Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt, PMB 5323 Choba, Nigeria.
Jeffery O. Akpos
Department of Pure and Industrial chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, PMB 5323 Choba, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study investigates the heat-transfer characteristics of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) nanofluid flow within a Cartesian framework. Two thermal-conductivity correlations are incorporated to represent the effective thermal transport of the nanofluid, while effective-viscosity models are used to describe the momentum response. The governing continuity, momentum, energy, and concentration equations form a coupled nonlinear system that is treated analytically/semi-analytically using the Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM). Thermal radiation is incorporated through the adopted radiative heat-flux approximation, while chemical reaction effects are included in the concentration equation. The HPM expressions are subsequently evaluated numerically to examine the effects of nanoparticle volume fraction, Reynolds number, Prandtl number, Schmidt number, Hartmann number, radiation parameter, chemical reaction parameter, electroconductivity, and thermal and solutal Grashof numbers. The computed profiles show that nanoparticle loading enhances the thermal and concentration responses in the present model, whereas stronger reaction effects reduce concentration. The magnetic and buoyancy parameters exert significant control over the velocity field. The study provides a mathematically transparent framework for assessing magnetically responsive CoFe₂O₄ nanofluids and offers theoretical guidance for thermal-management systems in which flow and heat transport can be controlled through nanoparticle loading and electromagnetic conditions.
Keywords: Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) nanofluid, heat transfer, mass transfer, Homotopy Perturbation Method, thermal radiation, chemical reaction, Hartmann number, nanoparticle volume fraction, Cartesian framework