Abstract
A new method to measure the velocity distribution of magnetic fluid flows using optical fibers and laser beam was developed. In this method, the local velocity of the magnetic fluid was obtained by measuring the time taken for a tracer particle to pass between two sets of fibers. After this method was adjusted with the rotational flow in a rotating channel, it was applied to the flow of a magnetic fluid in a circulation channel excited by a travelling magnetic field made by a stator of a single-sided linear induction motor. From the measurements, the induced velocity was found to be proportional to the frequency and the strength of the applied current to the inductor. It was important to choose the size of tracer particles, the wavelength of the light source and the sensitive optical detector for better results.
