Vortex Generation in a Liquid Metal Duct Flow near a Magnetic Dipole

The generation of vortical structures by a strong magnetic dipole field in a liquid metal duct flow is studied by means of three-dimensional direct numerical simulations. The dipole is considered as the paradigm for a magnetic obstacle which will deviate the streamlines due to Lorentz forces which act on the fluid elements. Our model uses the quasi-static approximation applicable in the limit of small magnetic Reynolds numbers. The analysis covers the stationary flow regime at smaller flow Reynolds numbers Re as well as the fully time-dependent regimes at higher values with a turbulent flow in the wake of the magnetic obstacle. We present a systematic study of these two basic flow regimes on Re and the Hartmann number Ha, a measure of the strength of the magnetic dipole field. Furthermore, three orientations of the dipole are compared, the streamwise, spanwise and wall-normal ones. The most efficient generation of turbulence at a fixed distance above the duct occurs for the spanwise orientation in which we can observe the formation of Hartmann layers at the top plate. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)