Abstract
•Irreversibility analysis of hybrid nanofluid between rotating disks is considered.•Entropy generation and cross-diffusion also amalgamated.•Escalation in entropy generation is recognized for the acclivity in brinkman number.•Concentration boundary layer becomes thinner for reaction rate parameter.•Dufour number minimizes the heat transfer rate near the lower disk.
Generally, transformer oil is used in various devices including circuit breakers and (oil-filled) transformers. Functions of the oil are many, for instance, to inhibit corona discharge. Researchers found that the breakdown functioning of transformer oil enhances (to some extent) when nanoparticles (for instance, Fe3O4) are suspended in it. In the current paper, we aim to examine transformer oil based hybrid fluid flow amongst two rotating (stretchable) disks with activation energy, heat source and cross-diffusion (Dufour-Soret) effects. We have done the irreversibility analysis on the fluid flow. Leading equations (PDEs) are transmuted as nonlinear ODEs with the aid of befitted similarity transmutations. Shooting technique (R-K 4th order based) is executed to resolve the transmuted equations. Outcomes are explicated via graphs in two kind of flows i.e., hybrid fluid (transformer oil with Fe3O4 and TiO2) and nanofluid (transformer oil with Fe3O4). We have done the validation of our results with earlier results and noticed a decorous accord. Some of our ensues are (a) rotation parameter ameliorates the tangential velocity and stretching parameter (due to lower disk) minimizes the same (b) escalation in entropy generation is recognized for the acclivity in Brinkman number (c) concentration boundary layer becomes thinner for reaction rate parameter (d) Dufour number step-down the heat transfer rate near the lower disk but shows opposite behaviour near the upper disk (e) activation energy parameter intensify the mass transfer rate near the upper disk but exhibits reverse conduct near the lower disk.