Numerical examination of liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic flow in multiple channels in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field

Abstract

In the current study, investigated are steady-state, three-dimensional liquid metal (LM) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows in a conduit system including three sub-channels with co-current flows under a uniform magnetic field. Though there have been numerous analytic, experimental and numerical studies on MHD duct flow, detailed flow characteristics of a LMMHD flow in a conduit system with multiple channels have not been reported much. The current study predicts detailed behaviors of the flow velocity, pressure, current and electric potential of LMMHD flows in multiple channels in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field. Here, the characteristics of the MHD flow in a conduit system with multiple channels are elucidated. The mass flow rate in each of outer channel turns out to be higher than that in the central channel. The mechanism governing the imbalance of mass flow rate in the sub-channels is discussed in detail based on the interdependency of flow variables in LMMHD flow.