Experimental study of a liquid metal MHD pump with a zigzag channel

V. Dolgikh¹ - I. Kolesnichenko^{1, 2}

¹ Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics, Perm, Russia
² Perm National Research Polytechnic University, Perm, Russia

Abstract
Processes which take place in a flat channel filled with a liquid metal under the action of an electromagnetic force are examined. The channel has in the plane a zigzag configuration composed of tetragons connected to each other. An alternating current passes through the channel placed in a gap between the C-shaped ferromagnetic cores used to produce a high intensity magnetic field of required configuration. Vortex flows and pressure drop between input and output are generated which in the case of an open channel initiate a transit flow. Such a phenomenon gives grounds to develop a model of the MHD pump for metallurgical production. It has been found that the pressure drop increases as the bend angle of the channel decreases, whereas its width remains unchanged. The MHD pump of the developed design can be used in metallurgy for transportation and pouring of molten metals and their alloys. Figs 15, Refs 14.