Numerical simulation of the melt flow in an induction crucible furnace driven by a Lorentz force pulsed at low frequency

D. Musaeva¹ - V. Ilin¹ - E. Baake² - V. Geża²

¹ Kazan State Power Engineering University, 51 Krasnoselskaya str., 420066, Russia
² Leibniz University of Hannover, Institute of Electrotechnology, Wilhelm-Busch-Str. 4, D-30167, Germany
³ University of Latvia, Laboratory for Mathematical Modelling of Environmental and Technological Processes, 8 Zellu str., LV-1002 Riga, Latvia

Abstract
This paper considers a numerically simulated flow in a cylindrical liquid metal column driven by pulsed Lorentz force in a range of the modulation frequency f_p of 0.05 Hz < f_p < 1 Hz. The calculations were conducted with the ANSYS Fluent software package using a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) turbulence model. The pulsed case is compared with a melt flow produced by a continuously applied force. To that, the contents of turbulent kinetic energy within the melt, the rate of homogenization of the temperature field, and the relaxation time after the magnetic field has been switched off in both steady and unsteady flow regimes are considered. The results show that pulsing the Lorentz force at low frequencies can be applied to intensify the melt stirring process. Figs 13, Refs 24.