Modelling azimuthal velocity of liquid metal in a 2D centrifugal separator driven by a travelling magnetic field

L. Terlizzi - R. Strazdiņš - L. Goldšteins

Institute of Physics, 3 Jelgavas str., Riga LV-1004, Latvia

Abstract
In this study we investigate the EM force and fluid velocity developed in a 2D liquid metal centrifugal system driven by a travelling magnetic field. A 2D axially symmetric numerical model has been developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics software, and distributions of pressure, azimuthal velocity and torque inside the centrifugal chamber were obtained. The average values for those distributions were successfully validated against a simple analytical model, showing that the presented numerical model can be used for a more in-depth analysis of the operating conditions of a centrifugal EM separator system. Keywords: centrifugal, electromagnetic, separator, velocity, numerical. Tables 1, Figs 16, Refs 5.