Simulation of Magneto-

Hydrodynamics:

Interaction between Fluid Flow

and Electromagnetics

Dr. Andreas Spille-Kohoff

CFX Berlin Software GmbH
Contents

• CFX Berlin

• MHD in ANSYS CFX

• Examples:
• Electromagnetic stirring

• Electromagnetic braking

• Hartmann Flow

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 2

CFX Berlin
Intro

Overview: Key Activities:

• Engineering company • CFD
focussed on fluid flow and – Distributor of ANSYS Software
thermal analysis – Support
– Simulation
• Established in 1997 – Software development

• Located in Berlin, • Consulting & Training

Germany
• Research
• 15 employees

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 3

CFX Berlin
Application Areas of ANSYS CFD

Turbo Machinery

Aerospace Automotive Cutting & Welding

Marine

Power Generation Chemical Process &

Petrochemicals

Fire & Safety

Biomedical
Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics
HVAC Folie 4
CFX Berlin
CFD Workflow

Geometry DesignModeler ICEM CFD

Mesh generation CFX-Mesh Tetra, Prism Hexa

Pre- Processing CFX - Pre

Simulation CFX - Solve

Post- Processing CFX - Post

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 5

Contents

• CFX Berlin

• MHD in ANSYS CFX

• Examples:
• Electromagnetic stirring

• Electromagnetic braking

• Hartmann Flow

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 6

MHD in ANSYS CFX
Basics of CFD and Electro-Magnetics

Fluid Mechanics Electromagnetism

Hydrodynamics Electrodynamics

Ohm‘s Law
Navier-Stokes Eq. Maxwell Equations
Lorentz Force
Resistive Heating

Magneto-Hydrodynamics
(MHD)

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 7

MHD in ANSYS CFX
Solved MHD Equations
v r r
• Current from velocity: jB = σ u × B
r
• Charge conservation: div σ grad Φ = div jB
v r
• Ohm’s law: j = −σ grad Φ + jB
r r
• Magnetic potential: ∆ A = −µ0 j
r r r
• Magnetic field: B = B0 + curl A
r r r
• Lorentz force: fL = j × B
2
j
• Resistive heating: Sh =
σ
Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 8
MHD in ANSYS CFX
Solved equations in MHD simulation

Fluid regions: Solution of 11 PDEs for

– Conservation of mass (continuity equation)
– Conservation of momentum (Navier-Stokes equations) with
Lorentz force
– Transport equations for turbulent kinetic energy and
dissipation (SST)
– Conservation of energy with resistive heating
– Charge conservation (Poisson equation for electric potential)
– Magnetic vector potential (3 Poisson equations)
Solid regions: Solution of 5 PDEs for
– Conservation of energy
– Only in cathode: equations for charge conservation (electric
current)
– Magnetic vector potential (3 Poisson equations)

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 9

Contents

• CFX Berlin

• MHD in ANSYS CFX

• Examples:
• Electromagnetic stirring

• Electromagnetic braking

• Hartmann Flow

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 10

Electromagnetic stirring
Geometry

• beaker glass with

diameter 78 mm and
height 80 mm
• 2 electrodes with 13
mm diameter with
distance 27 mm,
depth of immersion
68 mm
• only half model
(symmetry plane)
• no free surface, free-
slip wall at top
Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 11
Electromagnetic stirring
Mesh

Number of Nodes: 2.154.202

Number of Hexahedra:2.095.732
Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 12
Electromagnetic stirring
Fluid and boundary Conditions

• Fluid: 39% H2SO4 with

electrical conductivity 76.3 S/m
• no-slip wall at bottom, outside
and electrodes (red and blue)
• symmetry at mid plane (green)
• free-slip wall at top
• electrodes with applied voltage
• homogeneous external
magnetic field of 0.01 T in x-
B0 direction

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 13

Electromagnetic stirring
Electromagnetic Results for 0.25 V

j
j
B0
B0
fL
fL

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 14

Electromagnetic stirring
Fluid flow for 0.25 V

• downward flow
between electrodes,
upward flow near
beaker wall
• good stirring

j
B0
fL

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 15

Electromagnetic stirring
Fluid flow for 0.5 V

• downward flow
between electrodes,
upward flow near
beaker wall
• good stirring

j
B0
fL

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 16

Electromagnetic stirring
Fluid flow for 0.25 V, changed polarity

• upward flow
between electrodes,
downward flow near
beaker wall

fL • good stirring
j • NOT symmetric!

B0

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 17

Electromagnetic stirring
Fluid flow for 0.5 V, changed polarity

• upward flow
between electrodes,
downward flow near
beaker wall

fL • good stirring
j • NOT symmetric!

B0

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 18

Contents

• CFX Berlin

• MHD in ANSYS CFX

• Examples:
• Electromagnetic stirring

• Electromagnetic braking

• Hartmann Flow

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 19

Electromagnetic braking
Geometry and mesh

• pipe with length 50 cm, diameter 4 cm

• number of nodes: 579.081
• number of hexahedra: 563.200

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 20

Electromagnetic braking
Boundary condition

• Swirl flow at inlet

• Pipe surface as free-slip
wall, electrically
grounded
• Transverse magnetic
field at second half of
pipe
Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 21
Electromagnetic braking
Result for velocity and pressure

without
magnetic field:
• constant swirl
• small pressure
loss

with transverse
external
magnetic field:
• less swirl
• high pressure
loss

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 22

Electromagnetic braking
Current Density

B0

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 23

 Electromagnetic braking
Current Density: Components

B0 in transverse
fL direction coming
jy from streamwise
velocity component

fL B0
in streamwise jstream
direction coming
from swirl velocity
component

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 24

Electromagnetic braking
Lorentz force

B0
fL
jy
B0

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 25

Contents

• CFX Berlin

• MHD in ANSYS CFX

• Examples:
• Electromagnetic stirring

• Electromagnetic braking

• Hartmann Flow

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 26

Hartmann flow
Geometry and mesh

Slice of channel:
• Width 2L=24 mm
• Height 6 mm (here
only half model)
• Thickness of channel
wall (grey): tw=1 mm
• Depth of slice: 3 mm
• Number of nodes:
45.096
• Number of
hexahedra: 32.511

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 27

Hartmann flow
Materials and boundary conditions

• Materials:
– Fluid: liquid metal with σ=50E6 S/m
– Solid: solid metal with σw from conductance parameter
• Boundary conditions:
– Periodic in streamwise direction with pressure jump 3 Pa
– No-slip wall at fluid-solid interface
– Symmetry at mid plane
– Outer pipe wall electrically isolated
• External magnetic field in upward direction with strength
B0 from Hartmann number:

=√( Lorentz force / viscous force )

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 28

Hartmann flow
Results for Ha = 100, c = 1
B0

Current
u Density
jB

Electric
Potential

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 29

Hartmann flow
Results for Ha = 100, c = 1

Magnetic
Current
Density

Electric
Current
Density

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 30

Hartmann flow
Results for Ha = 100, c = 1

Lorentz force as braking force

Non-parabolic velocity profile

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 31

Hartmann flow
Results for Ha = 100, c = 0.001

Electric
Current
Density

Total
Current
Density
for almost
non-
conducting
solid

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 32

Hartmann flow
Comparing Results for Ha = 100

Ha = 100, c = 1:
• velocity maxima
Velocity near walls
• great braking
effect

Ha = 100, c = 0.001:
• backflow of
electric current
Velocity near top wall leads
to less braking

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 33

Summary

• ANSYS CFX for simulation of complex fluid mechanics

with turbulence models
• Interaction with electro-magnetics, e.g. as magneto-
hydrodynamics, easily possible
– electromagnetic stirring
– electromagnetic braking
– Hartmann flow
• a lot of further physical and numerical models available
• extension with own models easily possible:
– diffusion due to gradients in temperature or electric potential
– Maxwell-Stefan multi-component diffusion

Simulation of Magneto-Hydrodynamics Folie 34