An analytical solution for magnetohydrodynamic Oldroyd-B nanofluid flow induced by a stretching sheet with heat generation/absorption

This article provides an analytical investigation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) three-dimensional flow of an Oldroyd-B nanofluid in the presence of heat generation/absorption and convective surface boundary condition. Flow is induced by stretching surface considering the effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. The process of heat transfer is examined through the convective boundary condition. Oldroyd-B fluid is taken electrically conducting in the presence of a uniform applied magnetic field. A condition associated with nanoparticles mass flux at the surface is utilized. Problem formulation is made for boundary layer and low magnetic Reynolds number approximations. Suitable transformations are employed to construct the nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The strongly nonlinear differential equations are solved analytically through the optimal homotopy analysis method (OHAM). Effects of various interesting parameters on the temperature and nanoparticles concentration are studied and discussed. The local Nusselt number is also computed and analyzed. Our computations reveal that the temperature distribution has a direct relationship with Biot number and magnetic parameter. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.