Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
11029994 | International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer | 2018 | 13 Pages |
Abstract
A numerical study of three-dimensional (3D) MHD laminar flow in a short horizontal cylindrical annulus has been performed to characterize the impacts of a uniform axial magnetic field on both hydrodynamic and thermal behaviors. This configuration corresponds to a horizontal annular mold containing molten iron or low carbon steel in electromagnetic casting (EMC). Complex nonlinear governing equations are solved numerically by means of the finite volume method based on artificial compressibility algorithm. The induced electric potential caused by the magnetic field is considered. Results show that a typical 3D steady spiral flow arises and the symmetry breaking occurs under a weak magnetic field of Haâ¯<â¯10. As the Hartmann number increases, the spiral flow is distinctly suppressed, and then it changes to a helical flow with two transverse cells adjacent to each of the end walls. Correspondingly, the flow patterns and isotherms of fluid become symmetric with respect to the mid-axial plane of the annulus. Further increasing the Hartmann number, the fluid particle trajectories essentially lie in the cross-section of the annulus, as for two-dimensional solutions, with an extremely small axial dependency. In addition, both the values of local Nusselt number at the isothermal walls and its axial dependency, mainly in the upper region (â38Ïâ¤Ïâ¤38Ï), are significantly affected by the magnetic field. The results of the present work can be useful in producing high-quality products by magnetic control.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes
Authors
Wei Wang, Ben-Wen Li, Philip-Leslie Varghese, Xue-Yuan Leng, Xi-Yan Tian,