MHD FLOW IN RECTANGULAR DUCTS WITH INCLINED NONUNIFORM TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC-FIELD

This paper examines the three-dimensional liquid metal MHD flow in rec tangular ducts with thin conducting walls and with an inclined non-uni form transverse magnetic field. The Hartmann number and interaction pa rameter are assumed to be large and the magnetic Reynolds number is as sumed to be small. Under these assumptions, viscous and inertial effec ts are confined to thin boundary layers adjacent to the walls. Outside these layers, the governing equations are significantly simplified. F or validation of the numerical solutions, exact analytical solutions a re derived for the case of a rectangular duct of equal wall thickness and with a uniform magnetic field. Comparisons of the exact analytical and numerical solutions give excellent agreement. Variation of the fu lly developed flow pressure gradient with the wall conductance ratio, aspect ratio, and magnetic angle is discussed. Numerical solutions are presented for flow in the varying held region where the flow is pertu rbed due to three-dimensional effects. The three-dimensional pressure drop, i.e. in excess of the locally fully developed pressure, is prese nted and its implication to a fusion blanket is discussed. The velocit y distributions are also presented.