Study of ferrofluid flow in a rotating system through mathematical modeling

Abstract

This work investigates the ferrohydrodynamic flow between a rotating disk and a rod in order to optimize the use of ferrofluids for liquid seals in a rotating system. Rotational viscosity effects in the flow, due to the difference of rotation between the magnetic particles and fluid in the presence of a magnetic field, are considered in the present mathematical model. The magnetic field on the disk has been directed in the radial and tangential directions and its impact on the momentum and energy equations has been considered. Similarity transformation has been used to transform the equations of the developed mathematical model into a dimensionless form. The transformed system of equations has been solved numerically with the help of the COMSOL Multiphysics software in the framework of a finite element method. The results for radial, tangential, and axial velocity distributions along with heat transfer analysis have been presented in the presence of physical parameters involved in the problem. The radius of the rod and magnetization force plays a crucial role in the velocity distribution and heat transfer enhancement.