MHD heat pipes for imposition of a strong current into high temperature liquid metals.

A. A. Kolesnichenko - A. F. Kolesnichenko - V. Buryak - V. Vodyanyuk

Net Shape Cast (Ukraine) Ltd, 87, 02147, Kiev, Ukraine

Abstract
MHD high temperature heat pipe can be used as an electrode for imposition of strong currents into any liquid metals \cite{1, 2}. Low melting liquid metal inside heat pipe is used not only as a heat carrier but also as a conductor of strong current. The edge of an electrode that has a contact with high temperature liquid metal is made from the same metal, but solid. Position of a solid-liquid interface has to be controlled to prevent intensive freezing of a liquid metal on the electrode and, conversely, to prevent melting of the electrode. An example of application of electrodes equipped with MHD heat pipe has relation to channel induction furnaces, where the MHD heat pipes are installed instead of channels filled by molten metal. The second example of application is the MHD pump of alternating or direct currents, where the MHD heat pipes are used as electrodes for imposition of strong currents. One of these pumps was created with participation of the scientific society Net Shape Cast (Ukraine) Ltd., especially for pumping of steel, and was checked for pumping of different kinds of steel. Figs 5, Refs 3.