Liquid metal flow in a finite-length cylinder with a rotating magnetic field

A liquid metal flow induced by a rotating magnetic field in a cylindrical container of finite height was investigated experimentally. It was demonstrated that the flow in a rotating magnetic field is similar to geophysical flows: the fluid rotates uniformly with depth and the Ekman layer exists at the container bottom. Near the vertical wall the flow is depicted in the form of a confined jet whose thickness determines the instability onset in a rotating magnetic field. It was shown that the critical Reynolds number can be found by using the jet velocity u0 for Recr=u20/ν∂u/∂r. The effect of frequency of a magnetic field on the fluid flow was also studied. An approximate theoretical model is presented for describing the fluid flow in a uniform rotating magnetic field. (orig.)