Steady magnetohydrodynamic MHD natural convection Couette flow in a vertical channel under the combined effects of radiation and heat generation/absorption

Abstract

Abstract This paper is concerned with the steady MHD natural convection Couette flow of an electrically conducting, incompressible and viscous fluid within a vertical channel under the effect of thermal radiation and heat generation/absorption. The governing momentum and energy equations were solved using the Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM). The presented parametric analysis indicates that the Grashof number increases buoyancy-driven convection, while higher permeability of the porous medium reduces the velocity field due to increased flow resistance. On the other hand, a higher magnetic field strength generates a Lorentz force that decelerates the fluid motion and enhances flow stability while reducing both heat and momentum transfer. At lower intensities, thermal radiation shows a dual effect on the temperature profile. Such MHD natural convection flows in vertical channels have practical applications in cooling technologies for nuclear reactors, electronic systems and fusion devices, where magnetic fields are used to control the heat transfer mechanism for maintaining stable flow conditions.