Numerical modelling of rotating tangential layers (jets) in shells under strong uniform magnetic field

Abstract

A numerical study of tangential layers in steady-state magnetohydrodynamic rotating flows is presented using CFD to solve the inductionless governing equations. The analysis considers two basic flow configurations. In the first, a fluid is enclosed in a cylinder with electrically perfect conducting walls and the flow is driven by a small rotating, conducting disk. In the second, a flow is considered in a spherical shell with an inner rotating sphere. The fluid in both cases is subjected to an external axial uniform magnetic field. The results show that these flows exhibit two different types of flow cores separated from each other by a tangential layer parallel to the axis of rotation. The inner core follows a solid-body rotation while the outer is quasistagnant. A counter-rotating jet is developed in the tangential layer between the cores. The characteristics of the tangential layer and the properties of the meridional motion are determined for a wide range of Hartmann numbers. Distributions of angular velocity of circumferential flow and electric potential are obtained and the results are compared with those of analytic methods. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.