Experimental study of an electromagnetic flow meter for liquid metals based on torque measurement during pumping process

• Published in: Measurement science & technology Vol. 26; no. 11; pp. 115304 - 115313
• Main Authors: Dubovikova, N, Kolesnikov, Y, Karcher, Ch
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.11.2015
• Subjects: electromagnetic pump; flow rate control; liquid metal; Lorentz force
• ISSN: 0957-0233; 1361-6501
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-0233/26/11/115304

This paper presents a detailed experimental study on an electromagnetic flow measurement technique to measure the flow rate of liquid metals. The experimental setup consists of a contactless electromagnetic pump with a torque sensor mounted on the pump shaft. The electromagnetic pump is composed of two rotating steel discs having embedded permanent magnets with alternating poles. The rotation of the discs creates a travelling sinusoidal magnetic field and eddy currents within the liquid metal. The metal is contained inside the duct located between the discs of the pump. The interaction of the magnetic field and the induced eddy currents generates an electromagnetic Lorentz force providing the pumping effect. The flow rate is proportional to this force. The torque sensor measures the moment of the discs due to the Lorentz force, which is converted to a flow rate value. We name the method Lorentz torque velocimetry (LTV). The full calibration procedure and experimental investigation of the LTV are described. The method can be used as a non-contact flow rate control technique for liquid metals.