Abstract: In this paper, the mechanism of thermal energy transport in swirling flow of the Maxwell nanofluid induced by a stretchable rotating cylinder is studied. The rotation of the cylinder is kept constant in order to avoid the induced axially secondary flow. Further, the novel features of heat generation/absorption, thermal radiation, and Joule heating are studied to control the rate of heat transfer. The effects of Brownian and thermophoretic forces exerted by the Maxwell nanofluid to the transport of thermal energy are investigated by utilizing an effective model for the nanofluid proposed by Buongiorno. The whole physical problem of fluid flow and thermal energy transport is modelled in the form of partial differential equations (PDEs) and transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with the help of the suitable flow ansatz. Numerically acquired results through the technique bvp4c are reported graphically with physical explanation. Graphical analysis reveals that there is higher transport of heat energy in the Maxwell nanoliquid for a constant wall temperature (CWT) as compared with the prescribed surface temperature (PST). Both thermophoretic and Brownian forces enhance the thermal energy transport in the flowing Maxwell nanofluid. Moreover, the temperature distribution increases with increasing values of the radiation parameter and the Eckert number. It is also noted that an increase in Reynolds number reduces the penetration depth, and as a result the flow and transport of energy occur only near the surface of the cylinder.

Key words: Maxwell nanofluid, rotating cylinder, heat source/sink, Joule heating, convective condition, numerical solution