Liquid metal electromagnetic flow control device incorporating a pumping action

摘要

A liquid metal electromagnetic flow control device for controlling liquid metal flow through a nozzle orifice includes an alternating current electromagnetic coil disposed adjacent the nozzle and surrounding the orifice therein, and a nonconductive structure disposed along a portion of the coil and occupying an axial portion of the nozzle orifice and leaving an adjacent portion of the nozzle orifice unoccupied. The coil is operable to produce a magnetic field being axially directed and eddy currents being azimuthally directed within the nozzle orifice and the liquid metal flowing therethrough. The structure defines eddy current flow regions and eddy current nonflow regions through the occupied portion of the orifice. The eddy current nonflow regions are positioned relative to said eddy current flow regions thereof so as to substantially block production of eddy currents in the liquid metal as the metal flows through the eddy current nonflow regions. Such blockage reshapes the magnetic field within the orifice at a region of transition therewithin between the eddy current flow and nonflow portions of the orifice to have a radially directed component which produces a substantially axially directed electromagnetic pumping force in the nozzle which controls the flow of liquid metal therethrough be either impeding or assisting the liquid metal flow.