Theoretical modeling and experimental tests of an electromagnetic fluid transportation system driven by a linear induction motor

We report on a theoretical and experimental study of the use of a traveling magnetic field generated by a linear induction motor to propel a conducting fluid in a closed channel. We initially developed an analytical model to predict the distribution of density currents, forces, and fluid speed. To verify the validity of our assumptions for the analytical model, we developed a finite-element model and compared its results to those ones obtained from the analytical model. We built a prototype of the fluid transportation system, using mercury as the conducting fluid. Here, we present the prototype´s experimental characteristics with various alternating current values and compare them with the analytical model´s results