Influence of wall properties on the peristaltic flow of a nanofluid: Analytic and numerical solutions

This study is concerned with the peristaltic transport of nanofluid in a channel with complaint walls. Transport equations involve the combined effects of Brownian motion and thermophoretic diffusion of nanoparticles. Mathematical modeling is carried out by utilizing long wavelength and low Reynolds number assumptions. The coupled nonlinear boundary value problem (BVP) has been solved numerically by using shooting technique through software Mathematica. The analytic solutions are computed by a robust analytical tool namely the homotopy analysis method (HAM). Attention has been focused on the behaviors of Brownian motion parameter (Nb), thermophoresis parameter (Nt), Prandtl number (Pr) and Eckert number (Ec). The results indicate an appreciable increase in the temperature and nanoparticles concentration with the increase in the strength of Brownian motion effects. Further heat transfer coefficient is a decreasing function of Nb and Nt. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.