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Electromagnetically driven magnetized spherical Couette flow

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2025

Fernando Garzón Open the ORCID record for Fernando Garzón [Opens in a new window] ,
D.R. Domínguez-Lozoya Open the ORCID record for D.R. Domínguez-Lozoya [Opens in a new window] ,
Aldo Figueroa Open the ORCID record for Aldo Figueroa [Opens in a new window] ,
Raúl A. Ávalos-Zúñiga Open the ORCID record for Raúl A. Ávalos-Zúñiga [Opens in a new window] ,
Michel Rivero Open the ORCID record for Michel Rivero [Opens in a new window]  and
Saúl Piedra Open the ORCID record for Saúl Piedra [Opens in a new window]
Fernando Garzón
Affiliation:
Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos 62580, México
D.R. Domínguez-Lozoya
Affiliation:
Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos 62580, México Facultad de Ciencias Físico-Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacán, Sinaloa 80010, México
Aldo Figueroa*
Affiliation:
Secihti-Centro de Investigación en Ciencias-Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad No 1001, Col Chamilpa. Cuernavaca, Morelos 62209, México
Raúl A. Ávalos-Zúñiga
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Unidad Querétaro, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Querétaro, Querrétaro 76090, México
Michel Rivero
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán 58190, México
Saúl Piedra
Affiliation:
Secihti-Centro de Ingeniería y Desarrollo Industrial, Querétaro, Querétaro 76270, México
*
Corresponding author: Aldo Figueroa, alfil@uaem.mx
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Abstract

The electromagnetically driven magnetised spherical Couette flow is studied experimentally, theoretically and numerically in the laminar regime. The working fluid, Galinstan, is contained in the spherical gap between two concentric spheres at rest. The electromagnetic stirring is primarily generated due to the interaction of a direct current, which is injected through two ring-shaped electrodes located at the equatorial zone of each sphere, and a dipolar magnetic field produced by a permanent magnet located inside the inner sphere. The flows were explored experimentally for a Reynolds number ranging from 450 to 2230 and a Hartmann number of 240. Ultrasound Doppler velocimetry and particle image velocimetry were used to characterise the flow. For low Reynolds numbers, given the symmetry of the problem, a one-dimensional analytic solution is obtained in the equatorial plane from the magnetohydrodynamic equations. The analytical solution reproduces the main characteristics of the flow. In addition, a full three-dimensional numerical model is able to reproduce both the analytical solution and the experimental measurements. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first time experimental results of the magnetised spherical Couette flow have been reported with electromagnetic forcing using a liquid metal as the working media.

JFM classification

MHD and Electrohydrodynamics: MHD and Electrohydrodynamics

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JFM Papers
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Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 1015 , 25 July 2025 , A25
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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