Turner, Roger Bryson (1973) Aspects of magnetohydrodynamic duct flow at high magnetic Reynolds number. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

In this thesis we attempt to predict the performance of a device, known as a flow coupler, which consists of an M.H.D. generator coupled to an M.H.D. pump so that one stream of fluid is induced to move by the motion of another.

The change of magnetic field experienced by a moving conductor as it passes into an M.H.D. device can cause large eddy currents to circulate within the M.H.D. duct. We have used apparatus in which we represent the moving stream of liquid by an annular disc of aluminium, to investigate the perturbation of the applied magnetic field and of the electric potential distribution caused by these eddy currents.

We then examine both experimentally and theoretically, devices in which large currents flow through a moving conductor and through an external circuit. These currents are injected into the moving conductor through electrodes which have a high resistance to currents in the direction of motion. We show that for compensated devices, that is, devices in which the external conductors are arranged so that they produce no transverse magnetic field, the perturbed magnetic field does not depend upon the current through the external circuit and is the same field that would exist if there were no contact between the moving metal and the external circuit.

We observe experimentally that when two conductors move side by side through the gap of a magnet the magnetic field in one moving conductor is little affected by the motion of the other.

We compare the measured performance of a simulated M.H.D. generator and of a real M.H.D. pump with their computed performances and we calculate the expected performance of a flow coupler.

We suggest that the presence of a slowly moving liquid in the boundary layers adjacent to the duct walls may adversely affect the performance of a flow coupler and we conclude that an efficient flow coupler would require non-conducting duct walls and a high magnetic field.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Magnetohydrodynamics, Magnetohydrodynamic generators, Fluid dynamics, Reynolds number, Eddy currents (Electric)
Official Date:	July 1973
Dates:	Date Event July 1973 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	School of Engineering
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Alty, C. J. N.
Sponsors:	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	x, 112 leaves : illustrations, charts, photographs
Language:	eng

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