Dynamics of liquid metal layer in transverse AC magnetic field

Abstract

Dynamics of the liquid metal free surface is an important aspect in many different metallurgical processes, such as cold crucible melting and continuous casting. An AC magnetic field can be used to change the shape of the liquid metal volume. Here, we study experimentally and numerically a rectangular liquid metal layer exposed to a transverse AC magnetic field. Depending on different parameters, such as the layer thickness and the surface oxidation, different free surface shapes and their dynamics are observed experimentally. We have simulated this fundamentally three-dimensional process using the coupled open-source software. Based on experimental observations, surface oxidation in the numerical model is approximated as a modified contact angle between the liquid metal and the vessel's walls. The numerical results agree well with experiments. Figs 6, Refs 8.