Vortical flow of conducting fluid driven by an alternating magnetic field in a plane channel

I. Kolesnichenko - R. Khalilov - S. Khripchenko

Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics, Perm, Russia

Abstract
This paper deals with the study of a vortical flow in a plane layer of a conducting fluid driven by an alternating magnetic field normal to the layer and nonuniform in the layer plane. The layer with either a free or a solid upper boundary is considered. The topology of the vortical flow is assumed to be dependent on the geometry of the region subjected to the magnetic field and on the position of the magnetic field within the layer. It is found that in the case when process parameters exceed some critical value the flow becomes unstable that causes a temporary transformation of the vortical flow accompanied by the movement of vortical structures in the layer plane and its free surface oscillations. The investigated vortical flow can be used for stirring molten metals and, as a general operation principle, for designing MHD-pumps for foundry works. Figs 7, Refs 7.