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Title: A Liquid Metal Flume for Free Surface Magnetohydrodynamic Experiments

Abstract

We present an experiment designed to study magnetohydrodynamic effects in free-surface channel flow. The wide aspect ratio channel (the width to height ratio is about 15) is completely enclosed in an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidization of the liquid metal. A custom-designed pump reduces entrainment of oxygen, which was found to be a problem with standard centrifugal and gear pumps. Laser Doppler Velocimetry experiments characterize velocity profiles of the flow. Various flow constraints mitigate secondary circulation and end effects on the flow. Measurements of the wave propagation characteristics in the liquid metal demonstrate the surfactant effect of surface oxides and the damping of fluctuations by a cross-channel magnetic field.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
938980
Report Number(s):
PPPL-4345
TRN: US0806217
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-ACO2-76CHO3073
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Related Information: Review of Scientific Instruments (June 2008)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ASPECT RATIO; DAMPING; END EFFECTS; ENTRAINMENT; FLUCTUATIONS; INERT ATMOSPHERE; LASERS; LIQUID METALS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; OXIDES; OXYGEN; SURFACTANTS; VELOCITY; WAVE PROPAGATION; open channel flow, magnetohydrodynamics, liquid metal, GaInSn, wave turbulence

Citation Formats

Nornberg, M D, Ji, H, Peterson, J L, and Rhoads, J R. A Liquid Metal Flume for Free Surface Magnetohydrodynamic Experiments. United States: N. p., 2008. Web. doi:10.2172/938980.
Nornberg, M D, Ji, H, Peterson, J L, & Rhoads, J R. A Liquid Metal Flume for Free Surface Magnetohydrodynamic Experiments. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/938980
Nornberg, M D, Ji, H, Peterson, J L, and Rhoads, J R. 2008. "A Liquid Metal Flume for Free Surface Magnetohydrodynamic Experiments". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/938980. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/938980.
@article{osti_938980,
title = {A Liquid Metal Flume for Free Surface Magnetohydrodynamic Experiments},
author = {Nornberg, M D and Ji, H and Peterson, J L and Rhoads, J R},
abstractNote = {We present an experiment designed to study magnetohydrodynamic effects in free-surface channel flow. The wide aspect ratio channel (the width to height ratio is about 15) is completely enclosed in an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidization of the liquid metal. A custom-designed pump reduces entrainment of oxygen, which was found to be a problem with standard centrifugal and gear pumps. Laser Doppler Velocimetry experiments characterize velocity profiles of the flow. Various flow constraints mitigate secondary circulation and end effects on the flow. Measurements of the wave propagation characteristics in the liquid metal demonstrate the surfactant effect of surface oxides and the damping of fluctuations by a cross-channel magnetic field.},
doi = {10.2172/938980},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/938980}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 27 00:00:00 EDT 2008},
month = {Wed Aug 27 00:00:00 EDT 2008}
}