Researchers at King Khalid University have made significant strides in the field of thermal management by examining the thermal performance of hybrid nanofluid composed of graphene oxide and molybdenum disulfide (GO-MoS2) nanoparticles, suspended within a 50:50% mixture of ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) and water (H2O). Their research hinges on the Falkner Skan model (FSM), renowned for its applications across various engineering domains.
The study reveals how the incorporation of GO-MoS2 nanoparticles substantially enhances the thermal conductivity of the hybrid nanofluids, making them potential game-changers for industrial applications, such as cooling systems and chemical processing. By developing the model and analyzing various heating scenarios, the researchers explore the complex interplay between particle concentration, type of heating, and the movement of the wedges under varying conditions such as thermal radiation and internal heating.
Employing advanced numerical methodologies, the research distinguishes between two specific cases: the moving riga wedge (MRW) and the static riga wedge (SRW). The findings indicate notable disparities between the performance metrics of the two models under identical conditions. The optimum velocity for the MRW case was found to be one; contrastingly, the SRW display slower dynamics due to differing boundary layer characteristics.
The hybrid nanofluid's thermal performance witnesses marked enhancement due to external heating sources and solar radiations. The study quantitatively records improvements across several parameters, including heat transfer rates and thermal boundary layer metrics. "The heating source and solar radiations effectively enhanced the performance of (GO-MoS2)/(C2H6O2-H2O)," the study notes, emphasizing the importance of thermal influence on fluid behavior.
Interestingly, researchers noted the impact of nanoparticle concentrations—while increases from 0.01 to 0.04 have significant effects on the fluid's density and momentum, they lead to more complex interactions within the fluid matrix. This indicates how finer adjustments to the formulation can be the key to optimizing performance.
Additional insights surfaced concerning the shear drag and Nusselt number, which exhibit controlled responses to the magnetic effects and wedge parameters. These dynamics serve as invaluable data points for future investigations, paving the way for engineering designs focused on improved thermal management solutions.
By integrating the effects of fixed magnets associated with the riga wedge and the energy derived from solar radiations, the outcomes from the FSM for hybrid nanofluids under radiation heating contribute valuable knowledge to the sphere of thermal performance technology.
Conclusively, the authors assert, "The thin thermal boundary layer is examined for higher heat generating effects," demonstrating the necessity of continued research on hybrid nanofluids, which promise extensive industrial applications due to their superior thermal properties.