Current and magnetic field interaction influence on liquid phase convection

I. Kaldre^1,2 - A. Bojarevics² - Y. Fautrelle¹ - J. Etay¹ - L. Buligins³

¹ SIMAP-EPM, PHELMA-Campus, BP75, 38402 St Martin d'Hères Cedex, France
² Institute of Physics University of Latvia, 32 Miera str., LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
³ University of Latvia, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, 8 Zellu str., LV-1002, Riga, Latvia

Abstract
This paper analyzes the influence of the electric current and magnetic field interaction on the liquid metal motion. At the crystallization front of a metallic alloy, temperature variations can exist in length scales comparable with dendrite spacing order of magnitude. If an external magnetic field is applied, a Lorentz force appears and a flow of the liquid phase is induced (thermoelectromagnetic convection). A similar effect can be achieved by the interaction of electric current and magnetic field of the same direction. Results of mathematical modelling of the liquid phase motion and analytical estimation of expected velocity order of magnitude are presented here. Figs 7, Refs 9.