Effect of MHD and heat generation on natural convection flow in an open square cavity under microgravity condition

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to numerically study thermo‐magnetic convection and heat transfer of paramagnetic fluid placed in a micro‐gravity condition (g≈0) and under a uniform vertical gradient magnetic field in an open square cavity with three cold sidewalls.

Design/methodology/approach

This magnetic force is proportional to the magnetic susceptibility and the gradient of the square of the magnetic induction. The magnetic susceptibility is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature based on Curie's law. Thermal convection of a paramagnetic fluid can therefore take place even in a zero‐gravity environment as a direct consequence of temperature differences occurring within the fluid due to a constant internal heat generation placed within a magnetic field gradient.

Findings

Effects of magnetic Rayleigh number, γRa, Prandtl number, Pr, and paramagnetic fluid parameter, m, on the flow pattern and isotherms as well as on the heat absorption are presented graphically. It is found that the heat transfer rate is suppressed in increased of the magnetic Rayleigh number and the paramagnetic fluid parameter for the present investigation.

Originality/value

It is possible to control the buoyancy force by using the super conducting magnet. To the best knowledge of the author no literature related to magnetic convection for this configuration is available.

Citation

Saha, S.C. (2013), "Effect of MHD and heat generation on natural convection flow in an open square cavity under microgravity condition", Engineering Computations, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 5-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/02644401311285982