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Flow imbalance in MHD flows in splitting ducts with locally different electric conductivities of the walls

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Abstract

In this study, three-dimensional liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic splitting flows in a duct with one inflow channel and two outflow channels with locally different wall electric conductivities (different conductance ratios) are computationally examined. The numerical calculation is achieved with the use of CFX code, with a structured grid system chosen after a series of mesh independence tests. The detailed features of the MHD flows are depicted in a case where the electric conductivities of the two outflow ducts are quite different. Also, the interdependency among the current, fluid velocity, pressure and electric potential is elucidated in order to describe the electromagnetic characteristics of the liquid-metal flows. The result shows that the imbalance of the mass flow rate in the two outflow channels strongly depends on the wall conductivity (i.e., conductance ratio) of each outflow channel.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National R&D Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Future Creation (2015M1A7A1A02050613).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Yong-in, Korea

    Yang Luo & Mengqi Zhu

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yong-in, Korea

    C. N. Kim

Authors
  1. Yang Luo
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  2. Mengqi Zhu
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  3. C. N. Kim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. N. Kim.

Additional information

Biography: Yang Luo (1991-), Female, Ph. D. Candidate, E-mail: luoyang1991lena@163.com

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Luo, Y., Zhu, M. & Kim, C.N. Flow imbalance in MHD flows in splitting ducts with locally different electric conductivities of the walls. J Hydrodyn 30, 920–927 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-018-0109-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-018-0109-3

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