Control of streamwise vortices with uniform magnetic fluxes

Abstract

Numerical experiments are conducted to investigate the effect of uniform magnetic fluxes on streamwise vortices in conducting fluids. A simple flow configuration, in which a pair of two-dimensional vortices interact with a wall, is used to study the effect of magnetic forcing on the vortices. Effects of a uniform magnetic flux applied in three directions—streamwise, wall-normal, and spanwise—are investigated. The electromagnetic force induced from either the wall-normal or spanwise magnetic flux inhibits the induced motion by the streamwise vortices and reduces their strength, while the streamwise magnetic flux does not affect the flow in the present flow configuration. It is also shown that, in the case of a closely interacting pair of vortices, the spanwise magnetic flux is more effective than the wall-normal magnetic flux in reducing the strength of the streamwise vortices.