Effects of Variable Heat Sources and Activation Energy on Casson Nanofluid Flow: A Cattaneo–Christov Heat Flux Approach

Abstract

This study investigates MHD convective heat transfer of Casson nanofluid past a stretched cylinder using the Catano-Christov model, incorporating activation energy, Brownian motion, thermophoresis, and variable heat sources. The governing equations are reduced via similarity transformations and solved numerically using the Runge-Kutta shooting method and BVP4C in MATHEMATICA. Results indicate that velocity increases with the Casson parameter, Brownian motion, thermophoresis, Eckert number, activation energy, and heat sources. Temperature rises with Deborah numbers, while nanoconcentration decreases with the first Deborah number and increases with the second; activation energy lowers nanoconcentration. Heat transfer rates vary inversely with Deborah numbers. This novel integration of advanced heat flux modelling and activation energy provides valuable insights for optimizing heat and mass transfer in chemical, energy, electronic, and biomedical systems.