NUMERICAL FLOW ANALYSIS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FLUID USING GSMAC FINITE-ELEMENT METHOD

Numerical calculations for the cavity flow which simulates Joule- heated glass furnace were executed using GSMAC finite element method (GSMAC-FEM). The cavity consists of two main electrode plates on facing sides, two auxiliary electrode at the bottom and constant temperature wall on the top working as a heat sink. Magnetic field effect in Joule-heated glass furnace was verified by flow-electric-magnetic coupling analysis. When the calculation coupled with the flow and electric field was executed, unsteady down flows occurred from the top surface of the cavity. However, from the result of calculation coupled with flow, electric field and magnetic field, a large up flow appeared in the center of the cavity and permanently existed. Consequently, flow behavior including magnetic field was completely different from that excluding magnetic field effect. The results suggest that numerical analysis including magnetic field effect is recommended for accurate understanding of flow behavior in the Joule-heated glass furnaces. On the other hand, the data of velocity field, temperature field and magnetic field are also got by numerical simulation and compared with the result of Japan Atomic Energy Agency.