Open channel flows of magnetic fluid induced by traveling magnetic field

A theoretical analysis is made on laminar open channel flows of magnetic fluid induced by a non uniform traveling magnetic field which is applied with a stator of a single-sided linear induction motor. The induced flows are mainly in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the magnetic field and in proportion to the phase velocity of the magnetic field. The velocity profiles are greatly affected by dimensionless wave number of the magnetic field. Near the bottom of the channel, the theoretical velocity distributions agree well with experimental ones which are measured with a laser optical fiber velocity sensor. However, the experimental velocity distributions become larger near the free surface.