Three-Dimensional Numerical Study of the Flow Past a Magnetic Obstacle

M. Rivero[1], O. Andreev[2], A. Thess[3], S. Cuevas[4], T. Fröhlich[1]
[1]Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology, Ilmenau University of Technology, Ilmenau, Germany
[2]Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e. V., Institut für Sicherheitsforschung Abteilung Magnetohydrodynamik, Dresden, Germany
[3]Institute of Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Ilmenau University of Technology, Ilmenau, Germany
[4]Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos, México
Published in 2013

Flows of electrically conducting liquids in external magnetic fields are present in several applications. In this kind of flow, the inhomogeneous magnetic field creates a breaking force on the conducting fluid. As a result, a stagnant zone is formed in the zone affected by the localized field so that the fluid flows around it. Wakes in magnetohydrodynamic flows present interesting challenges since they offer a wider dynamical behavior if compared with the flow past a solid body and so far have been very poorly explored. In this work, numerical simulation are compared with experimental results of the flow past a magnetic obstacle in a rectangular duct. Laminar and turbulent regimes were obtained in the experiment and stationary patterns were observed.