Flow characteristics of gallium in a meso-scale channel under the influence of magnetic fields

Flow characteristics of the liquid metal (gallium) in a meso-scale channel under the influence of a magnetic field, are investigated numerically. Low Reynolds number flow is considered. Runs with a magnetic field that has different orientations relative to the main flow direction in the channel are conducted. The impact of the induced Lorentz force acting on the flow field is quantified. The channel in which the flow takes place has a maximum width of 2 mm and a total length of 8 mm. The study represents a precursor for future investigations that target enhancing heat transfer performance in small scale channels, that might be of importance for example in electronic cooling applications. The results show that different magnetic field orientations lead to significant changes in the flow field. The results also highlight the need for further such investigations to explore further the effect of the applied magnetic fields under different flow rates, different channel geometry, and different channel size conditions.