Flow of Liquid Metals with a Transversely Applied Magnetic Field : 8th Report, Influence of Channel Side Walls and Aspect Ratio on Laminar and Transition Flows

Abstract

With the development and use of such MHD devices as electromagnetic pumps in metallurgical and atomic industries, and MHD generators, the investigation of the flow of electrically conducting fluids in channels under an applied magnetic field is growing in importance. Here are reported experimental results of laminar and transition flows in a transversely applied magnetic field. Mercury is run in two types of rectangular channels, one having insulating walls, the other with insulating top and bottom walls and conducting side walls. The influence of Reynolds number, the electrical property of the side walls and the aspect rations of channels on such flows in the range of relatively low Hartmann numbers is described.