Double-Diffusive Bioconvection in a Suspension of Gyrotactic Microorganisms Saturated by Nanofluid

Abstract

This paper focuses on analytical and numerical investigation of double-diffusive bioconvection in a porous media saturated by nanofluid using the modified mass flux condition. Normal mode technique is employed to solve the governing equations of the Brinkman-Darcy model. The Galerkin weighted residual method (single-term and six-term) is used to obtain numerical solution of the mathematical model. It is found that due to the presence of gyrotactic microorganisms, Rayleigh number is decreased substantially which shows that convection sets in earlier as compared to nanofluid without microorganisms and this destabilizing effect is more predominant for faster swimming microorganisms. modified Darcy number number, Soret parameter, and porosity postpone the onset of the bioconvection, whereas nanoparticle Rayleigh number, bioconvection Rayleigh number, nanoparticle Lewis number, Dufour parameter, Péclet number, and Lewis number pre-pone the onset of bioconvection under certain conditions.

Keywords

• Bioconvection; Brownian motion; Gyrotactic microorganisms; Nanofluid; Porous medium; Thermophoresis.