Effects of system parameters on MHD flows in rotating magnetic fields

A numerical study is presented of the electromagnetic and hydrodynamic fiel d distributions induced by rotating magnetic fields in a conducting fluid c ontained in a cylindrical vessel with insulated and conducting walls and en ds. Simulations are carried out to determine the effect of various rotating electromagnetic field configuration parameters on magnetohydrodynamic melt flow structure and velocity distributions. Results show that the flow moti on consists of the primary azimuthal and secondary meridional flows and tha t the detailed pattern of these flows changes with the system parameters su ch as the electric conductivities of the container and the liquids, and the relative positions of the inductor and melts. It is found that the basic s tructure of the melt velocity distribution is not affected noticeably by th e distribution of electromagnetic forces in the case of symmetric distribut ion, but it changes significantly if this symmetry breaks. (C) 2000 Publish ed by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.