Numerical Analysis of a Fully-Developed MHD Free Surface Flow

This abstract presents the analysis of liquid-metal flow on plasma facing components of future fusion devices, which serve as a protective layer and energy exhaust. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods are utilized to simulate the behavior of electrically conductive liquids in complex geometries and strong magnetic fields. The study compares data obtained from numerical simulations using a customized CFD code, CFX from ANSYS, with an analytical solution developed at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The CFX code is adapted for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) problems, incorporating transport equations for magnetic field components and the Poisson equation for electric potential. The simulations closely match the analytical solutions across a range of Hartmann numbers and wall conductance ratios, demonstrating the effectiveness of the implemented approach.