MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC FLOWS OF A PERFECTLY CONDUCTING, VISCOUS FLUID
The flow of an incompressible, viscous, perfectly conducting fluid past a fixed obstacle in the presence of an applied magnetic field, which is parallel to the stream at large distances from the obstacle, is considered. A simple transformation of the fluid velocity and the total head enables the magnetohydrodynamic flow past the obstacle to be determined from the corresponding flow of a nonconducting fluid past the same obstacle but with a reduced main-stream velocity. The method is illustrated by considering the flows past a sphere, a circular cylinder, and a semi-infinite flat plate for different field strengths. The drag on the sphere is plotted as a function of the field strength for a fixed Reynolds number. The patterns of the flow past a circular cylinder are sketched and an inference is made to the way in which disturbances can propagate upstream for the case when the main-stream velocity is less than the Alfven speed. These give rise in the first instance to a separation bubble upstream of the cylinder. Finally the range of applicability of familiar high Reynolds number approximations to magnetohydrodynamic flows is discussed. In particular, if the main-stream velocity is equal to the Alfven speed, the boundary-layer approximation is shown to be no longer valid. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Manchester, Eng.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-16-005473
- OSTI ID:
- 4805370
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Fluid Mechanics (England), Vol. Vol: 11; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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