Free convection of a gas induced by a magnetic quadrupole field

To investigate the magnetothermal convection of the paramagnetic materials in an external inhomogeneous magnetic field, the air free convection in a two-dimensional square enclosure confined to a magnetic quadrupole field under microgravity is numerically simulated. The magnetic flux line for the magnetic quadrupole field, the magnetic field intensity and magnetic acceleration in the square enclosure are obtained. The flow and temperature fields as well as the local Nusselt numbers are all presented. The results show that the free convection induced by the centrifugal-form magnetic force exhibits different flow and beat transfer characteristics from the gravitational free convection. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.