Effects of high magnetic fields on thermal convection of conductive aqueous solution

Abstract

Effects of magnetic fields on the thermal convection in conductive aqueous solutions at ambient temperatures have been studied through heat transport measurements combined with shadowgraph technique-based visualization. The suppression of thermal convection by magnetic field was in fact observed in conductive diamagnetic aqueous solutions of ammonium sulfate. The magnitude of the suppression was found to depend on the applied magnetic field and the electrical conductivity of the sample fluid. These effects are qualitatively understood by assuming that Lorentz force acting on the fluid is a main player. Based on these results, a control method of heat transfer process using high magnetic fields has been demonstrated. It seems feasible to understand the behaviors of liquid metals by using electrolytes aqueous solution combined with a superconducting magnet, since flow conditions thereby are regarded as similar to those for liquid metals in industrial electromagnets.