Numerical analysis of melting heat transfer in stratified Casson nanofluid flow over an inclined wedge for energy-efficient thermal systems

Abstract

Purpose Given the diverse applications of nanoparticles, blood transport and stratified flow in medical and industrial domains, this study was conducted. Design/methodology/approach Nonlinear thermal stratification is used to capture realistic, high-gradient thermal environments where linear models fail under extreme industrial conditions. Energy transport is further enhanced by accounting for nanoparticle shape effects via the Hamilton–Crosser model, considering spherical, blade, brick and cylindrical geometries of copper nanoparticles suspended in water. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations via similarity transformations and solved numerically using NDSolve. Findings Results reveal significant variations in velocity and temperature fields under controlling parameters, with strong agreement with existing literature. The velocity magnitude rises as the mixed convection parameter increases, while the opposite pattern is seen when the concentration of nanoparticles increases. Viscous dissipation and thermal radiation both contributed significantly to thermal enhancement. A greater Eckert number and thermal stratification characteristics lead to greater Nusselt numbers. Originality/value The novelty of this study is the numerical examination of nonlinear mixed-convective stratified nanofluid flow over an inclined permeable wedge, incorporating melting heat transfer, internal heat generation/absorption, thermal radiation, viscous dissipation and velocity slip effects. The current study has a wide range of applications in advanced therapeutics, the production of nano-chip devices (by using density and thermal stratification, the sort of white blood cell and cancer tumor in nano-paths with less effort) and biomedical domains (the complex geometry helping nanoparticles to cross complex nano-arteries and a magnetic field will play a remarkable role in carrying hybrid nanofluid flow and directly hitting the target to the damaged tissues or cell). The model provides a physically consistent framework for advanced thermal systems and offers useful insights for optimizing heat transfer performance in industrial and biomedical engineering applications.