Magneto-Thermal Transport in Iron Oxide Nanofluid Flow through a Chemically Reactive Porous Channel

Abstract

This study examines magneto-thermal transport in an electrically conducting iron oxide (Fe₃O₄)–water nanofluid flowing through a chemically reactive porous rectangular channel under a transverse magnetic field and thermal radiation. The mathematical model couples the momentum, energy, and species-concentration equations with constitutive relations for effective viscosity and thermal conductivity, a velocity-dependent electrical conductivity model, and an optically thin radiation approximation. The governing equations are non-dimensionalised using the Buckingham π theorem and relevant hydrodynamic parameters. The resulting coupled system is solved analytically by the Laplace transform to obtain closed-form expressions for the velocity, temperature, and concentration fields. The analysis evaluates the effects of nanoparticle volume fraction, Prandtl number, Schmidt number, thermal and concentration Grashof numbers, radiation, chemical reaction, Reynolds number, magnetic field, and electrical conductivity. Increasing nanoparticle volume fraction raises the temperature and concentration distributions but reduces velocity because of increased viscous resistance. Higher Prandtl and Schmidt numbers restrict thermal and species diffusion, respectively. Chemical reaction reduces concentration, while increasing magnetic-field strength and electrical conductivity suppresses fluid motion through Lorentz-force damping. Radiation primarily modifies the temperature field and has only a limited direct effect on velocity under the present assumptions. These findings clarify the coupled roles of magnetic, thermal, and reactive parameters in porous ferro-nanofluid transport and may support the design of thermal systems requiring controlled heat and mass transfer.