OMS-Vol. 3 (2019), Issue 1, pp. 59–73 Open Access Full-Text PDF

Abstract: This paper investigates the squeezing flow of an electrically conducting magnetohydrodynamic Casson nanofluid between two parallel plates embedded in a porous medium using differential transformation and variation of parameter methods. The accuracies of the approximate analytical methods for the small and large values of squeezing and separation numbers are investigated and established. Good agreements are established between the results of the approximate analytical methods are compared with the results numerical method using fourth-fifth order Runge-KuttaFehlberg method. However, the results of variation of parameter methods show better agreement with the results of numerical method than the results of differential transformation method. Thereafter, the developed approximate analytical solutions are used to investigate the effects of pertinent flow parameters on the squeezing phenomena of the nanofluids between the two moving parallel plates. The results established that the squeezing number and magnetic field parameters decrease as the flow velocity increases when the plates were coming together. Also, the velocity of the nanofluids further decreases as the magnetic field parameter increases when the plates move apart. However, the velocity is found to be directly proportional to the nanoparticle concentration during the squeezing flow i.e. when the plates are coming together and an inverse variation between the velocity and nanoparticle concentration is recorded when the plates are moving apart. As increased physical insights into the flow phenomena are provided, it is hope that this study will enhance the understanding the phenomena of squeezing flow in various applications such as power transmission, polymer processing and hydraulic lifts.