Effects of the magnetic field direction and of the cross-sectional aspect ratio on the mass flow rate of MHD duct flows

Abstract

In the present study, numerically analyzed are the effects of the applied magnetic field direction and of the cross-sectional aspect ratio on the mass flow rate of 3D MHD duct flows, by utilizing commercial code CFX. Flows are driven by a constant pressure gradient in rectangular ducts with different cross-sectional aspect ratios and under various orientations of the applied magnetic field in different cases, and the variation of the mass flux in a fully developed fluid region in the above situations is discussed. Here, the mechanism causing the variation of the mass flux for different magnetic field directions and for different cross-sectional aspect ratios is discussed in particular. The features of the axial velocity distributions in the cases when the magnetic field is dis-aligned with the duct walls are presented closely.