Parametric study for the induced electric current of an electromagnetically driven flow

K. P. Acosta-Zamora - A. Beltrán

Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro No. 8701, Col. Ex Hacienda de San José de la Huerta, Morelia, Michoacán 58190, México

Abstract
In this work, the electric scalar and the magnetic vector potential magnetohydrodynamic formulations are implemented in the COMSOL Multiphysics software for the simulation of an electrovortex flow in a cuboid vessel. The flow is generated by a Lorentz force produced by the interaction of a direct electric current, which is injected through two solid electrodes located on the top and bottom of the vessel and an external magnetic field generated by one or a pair of permanent magnets. A good comparison between numerical and experimental velocity profiles reported by the workgroup is observed. The induced electric current fields obtained from Ohm's and Ampere's laws are explored in the solid electrodes and liquid metal regions. A parametric study for the interaction parameter in the range of 1 ≤ N ≤ 50 is presented. For both formulations, the same induced electric current distributions were obtained. Interestingly, for a pair of magnets, the induced electric current distribution is symmetric and the penetration of its main component into the solid electrodes increases with N, whereas for one single magnet, the induced current is non-symmetric and its penetration is small. Results also indicate that depending on the MF there are zones, where the induced electric current is small and the velocity is high. For a pair of magnets, this behavior is observed close to the interface of the LM-solid electrodes. Tables 2, Figs 10, Refs 43.