Abstract

Objectives: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can enhance heat transfer due to their superior thermal properties. Thermal performance of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) with CNTs is increasingly important to improve energy efficiency of nanotechnology in a vast range of industrial, pharmaceutical and energy conversion. In this study, we investigate the effects of inclined MHD and slip on viscoelastic CNT flow with radiation and heat source/sink over a stretching sheet embedded in porous media. The suction/injection through the porous medium is considered. Methods: The governing PDEs describing the flow were converted into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations through the application of a similarity transformation and then solved analytically. The influences of the Hartmann number, inverse Darcy number, viscoelastic, mass suction/injection effect, radiation parameter and heat source/sink parameters on velocity and temperature profiles are graphically presented and thoroughly discussed. Findings: The results show that the fluid flow increases as the Hartmann number and inverse Darcy number increase, whereas reverse effects are observed in the viscoelastic parameter and solid volume fraction. At the larger inversed Darcy number and the Hartmann number, the axial velocity for single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) becomes larger than that of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Also, the temperature profile increases as the values of the thermal radiation, heat sources, and the Hartmann number increase. The temperature of the nanofluids (NFs) with SWCNT is larger than that with MWCNT when the thermal radiation and heat sources are the same. This shows that the SWCNT NFs can improve thermal performance better. The produced velocities of NFs with MWCNT are higher than those with SWCNT, leading to lower heat convection. Applications: CNTs can enhance heat transfer due to their superior thermal properties. The thermal performance of MHD with CNTs is increasingly important to improve energy efficiency of nanotechnology in a vast range of industrial, pharmaceutical and energy conversion.