Advanced cooling and solar aircraft applications using MHD Carreau trihybrid nanofluid with solar radiation

The sun is the primary source of thermal energy, and with ongoing advancements in solar technology, it is now widely used in various applications such as photovoltaic cells, solar panels, energy storage systems, solar fabrics, lighting solutions, and water pumping systems. Recently, there has been growing scientific interest in improving the aerodynamic performance of solar-powered aircraft by integrating nanotechnology and solar energy. This study aims to explore the potential of solar aircraft efficiency using these technologies. Specifically, this study investigates the heat transfer characteristics by considering factors such as porous surfaces, convective boundary conditions, solar radiation, a radially varying magnetic field, Ohmic heating, and internal heat generation. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of trihybrid nanofluids ([Formula: see text] and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) within the field of aerospace engineering, aiming to enhance the durability of both mechanical and electrical aircraft components, ultimately contributing to cost reduction. Using [Formula: see text] to improve heat transfer efficiency and applying MHD to better control thermal management and flow behavior can improve aircraft fuel efficiency, overall performance, and flight range. Furthermore, the originality of this study lies in the incorporation of [Formula: see text] to enhance heat transfer efficiency, along with the application of MHD to improve thermal regulation and control fluid flow behavior. These enhancements have the potential to significantly increase aircraft fuel efficiency, boost overall performance, and extend flight range. It is assumed that THNFs (Engine Oil+SiO 2 + Fe 3 O 4 +MOS 2 ) travels through the inside of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors (PTSCs). The irreversibility analysis of Carreau [Formula: see text] is explored in this investigation. The basic boundary layer equations are simplified by employing a nonsimilar transformation, and the resulting system is tackled through a numerical scheme. The numerical outcomes for different flow variables on velocity, Nusselt number, entropy generation, nanofluid’s temperature, frictional force, and Bejan number are computed and presented through tables and graphs. The outcomes of this examination indicate that raising the values of the heat source, the solar radiation parameter, and the magnetic number enhanced the entropy number and temperature profile. Results reveal that [Formula: see text] are superior in the case of nanofluid (NFs) and hybrid nanofluid ([Formula: see text]. The heat transfer increased by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, compared to the base fluid ([Formula: see text] at a heat generation parameter value of [Formula: see text], indicating enhanced thermal performance with increasing solid content. Similarly, the drag force improved by [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, as the magnetic number increased from [Formula: see text]–1.5, confirming the significant influence of magnetic field strength on flow resistance.