Steady motion of conducting fluids in pipes under transverse magnetic fields

Abstract

This paper studies the steady motion of an electrically conducting, viscous fluid along channels in the presence of an imposed transverse magnetic field when the walls do not conduct currents. The equations which determine the velocity profile, induced currents and field are derived and solved exactly in the case of a rectangular channel. When the imposed field is sufficiently strong the velocity profile is found to degenerate into a core of uniform flow surrounded by boundary layers on each wall. The layers on the walls parallel to the imposed field are of a novel character. An analogous degenerate solution for channels of any symmetrical shape is developed. The predicted pressure gradients for given volumes of flow at various field strengths are finally compared with experimental results for square and circular pipes.