Comparison of numerical and experimental results on melt electrovortex flow driven by direct current supplied over top and bottom electrodes

S. Pavlovs¹ - A. Jakoviċs¹ - Yu. Ivochkin² - A. Chudnovsky²

¹ University of Latvia, 3 Jelgavas str., Riga, Latvia
² JSC LATVO, 53 Ganibu Dambis, Riga, Latvia

Abstract
The present paper details a comparison of experimental and computational results for the electrovortex flow of mercury in cylindrical and semi-cylindrical vessels, which is driven by the direct electrical current supplied over top and bottom non-submerged electrodes. The time-averaged velocity of liquid metal computed using the LES model of turbulence qualitatively and quantitatively agrees with the measured profiles of the axial velocity for a cylindrical experimental setup. For a semi-cylindrical setup which represents possible ``cold'' physical modelling of MHD devices, the observed flow patterns at the free surface and the computed flow patterns also agree qualitatively. Tables 1, Figs 7, Refs 9.