Numerical simulation of bubble flow in electroconducting liquids by the lattice Boltzmann method

A. Tatuļċenkovs¹ - A. Jakoviċs¹ - E. Baake² - B. Nacke²

¹ Laboratory for Mathematical Modelling of Environmental and Technological Processes, University of Latvia, 8 Zellu str., LV-1002 Riga, Latvia
² Institute of Electrotechnology, Leibniz University of Hannover, Wilhelm-Busch Str. 4, 30167 Hannover, Germany

Abstract
A numerical approach based on a lattice-Boltzmann model of two-phase flows has been developed to investigate the characteristics of bubble flow in an electroconducting liquid in a vertical channel under the action of an external magnetic field. Bubble driven flows have found wide applications in industrial technologies, such as mixing of metals and hydrogen production. To control the bubble motion in two-phase flows, e.g., in gas-liquid metal, the external magnetic field due to magneto hydrodynamics effects is used. The first results in a two-dimensional approach show that the magnetic field has a remarkable impact on the motion of the liquid. Figs 4, Refs 16.