Electronic edition ISSN 1574-0579

Stability of unsteady MHD ternary nanofluid flow in high-performance electronics

Y. Ouyang^1,2,3 , M. F. M. Basir² , K. Naganthran^4,5 , I. Pop⁶

¹ School of Mathematics and Physics, Hechi University, 546300 Yizhou, Guangxi, China
² Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
³ Key Laboratory of AI and Information Processing, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hechi University, 546300 Yizhou, Guangxi, China
⁴ Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
⁵ Center for Data Analytics, Consultancy and Services, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
⁶ Department of Mathematics, Babes-Bolyai University, R-400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Abstract
High-performance electronics generate substantial heat during operation, and inadequate thermal management can lead to reduced efficiency, performance degradation, and potential device failure. Conventional cooling methods, such as air and liquid cooling, struggle to meet the increasing heat dissipation demands of modern electronic systems. This study addresses this challenge by investigating the potential of alumina-zinc-iron oxide/water-based ternary nanofluids for enhanced thermal regulation. The research examines unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow past an elongating/compressing plate, incorporating viscous dissipation and Ohmic heating. The governing equations are planned and transformed into ordinary differential equations, which are computed via the Runge-Kutta Fourth Order (RK4)-based shooting method. Dual solutions are obtained, with stability analysis confirming the physical viability of only the primary solution. Results show that convective heat transfer and surface shear stress progressively increase from mono to binary to ternary nanofluids, with further enhancement as the magnetic field strength, suction parameter, or nanoparticle concentration increase. Conversely, viscous dissipation and Ohmic heating elevate the fluid temperature, diminishing convective heat transfer efficiency. At a shrinking plate condition (λ=-9.2), ternary and hybrid nanofluids exhibit thermal efficiency improvements of 10.73