Turbulent and electrical phenomena in a liquid metal MHD energy conversion device under various load conditions

We numerically simulate the turbulent phenomena in a liquid metal MHD energy conversion device under various load conditions (open-circuit, short-circuit, and externally applied current) with non-uniform magnetic flux densities. The large eddy currents under the open-circuit condition promote the recurrence of turbulence on the sidewalls in the downstream region, while the strong Lorentz force (upstream on average) near the electrodes due to a large load current under the short-circuit condition suppresses the turbulence transition from the sidewalls. The strong Lorentz force (downstream on average) produced by external current curbs eddies in the electrodes area, while turbulence appears again just in the downstream region.