Numerical study of disk driven rotating MHD flow of a liquid metal in a cylindrical enclosure

A numerical study of the steady laminar MHD flow driven by a rotating disk at the top of a cylinder filled with a liquid metal is presented. The governing equations in cylindrical coordinates are solved by a finite volume method. The effect of an axial magnetic field on the flow is investigated for an aspect ratio H/R equal to 1. The magnetic Reynolds number is assumed to be small whereas the interaction parameter, N, is large compared to unity. This allows to derive asymptotic results for the now solution which are found in good agreement with the numerical calculations. The effect of the top, bottom and vertical walls conductivity on the flow is studied. Various combinations of these conductivities are considered. The results obtained showed that one can control the primary flow through a good choice of the electrical conductivity of both the disk and cylinder walls.