Experimental investigation of the velocity field in the channel of an MHD separator

B. V. Chekin - V. V. Boyarenko - S. I. Eliseikin

Abstract
We investigate the turbulent flow of an electrically conducting fluid with a free surface in crossed magnetic and electric fields in a MHD channel of rectangular cross section with nonconducting walls. We consider the effect of various variants in the introduction of the electric current on the variation in velocity profile. We experimentally determine the nature of the distortion of the velocity profile in the boundary zones taking into account the inhomogeneity of the field. We construct dependencies characterizing the variation in length of the initial and final sections as functions of the parameter Ha  N/Re². We determine the nature of the variation in length of the entrance and exit sections in the channel as a function of distance between electrodes and edge pole pieces. The results can be used in calculations and the design of MHD separators.