Elektromagnetische Strömungsbeeinflussung in Glasschmelzen
Fluid Mechanics
Final Report Abstract
In the year 2004, the Magnetofluiddynamics research group succeeded in establishing and characterizing electromagnetic stirring of glass melt experimentally in project A5. This was also investigated employing a one-dimensional analytical model as well as three-dimensional numerical model in project A6. These research results were extremely important for boosting the rethinking of the electromagnetic fields application in the glass melting processes. Before it, the Glass-Community was skeptical about using it to control the glass melt flow. The success of this research formed the basis for a cooperative relationship between the glass manufacturer SCHOTT AG and the Technical University of Ilmenau. This previous work has clearly demonstrated that the externally applied electromagnetic field can effectively control the glass melt flow, and it was used as starting point for the present study, as well as previous studies made by SCHOTT AG, to illustrate that chaotic mixing, controlled by electromagnetic means, can effectively improve the glass melt homogenization through repeated stretching and folding of the fluid layers, facilitating the mixing by diffusion. That was demonstrated numerically in three different published studies, which have shown the improvement of the mixing quality using an electric field as well as an electromagnetic field in a Joule-heated glass melts. The possible industrial application of the electromagnetic mixer was proved numerically by comparing its mixing quality with that of the mechanical mixer, and demonstrating a better mixing quality in less time. As per the technical discussions with the SCHOTT AG Mainz, the concept of electromagneticallydriven pipe mixer was numerically tested for its industrial adaptability for homogenizing a phosphate glass. Further experimental studies are being performed in the Technical University of Ilmenau to validate the numerical results of both, the electromagnetic mixer and the mechanical mixer. In summary, the present project helped the industrial partner to further develop its simulation and analysis tools and thereby led to a sustainable result. Even though the joint work did not lead to a new product, both sides consider the scientific results of the project as successful for the project to be internationally visible.
Publications
- Bestimmung der Mischungs-Entropie in stationären Rührgefäßen ohne Durchsatz. Schott internal report (2008)
Günter Weidmann
- Chaotic mixing in an all-electric glass furnace. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Electromagnetic Processing of Materials, 19 - 23 October 2009, Dresden
Sugilal Gopalakrishnan, André Thess
- Chaotic mixing in a Joule-heated glass melt. Physics of Fluids 22, 013101, (2010)
Sugilal Gopalakrishnan, André Thess, Günter Weidmann, Ulrich Lange
- Chaotic mixing in electromagnetically controlled thermal convection of glass melt. Chemical Engineering Science, 65, (2010), 5309-5319
Sugilal Gopalakrishnan, André Thess
- Electromagnetically induced chaotic mixing in a pipe mixer. Chemical Engineering Science, 65, (2010), 6282-6291
Sugilal Gopalakrishnan, André Thess
- Comparison between the electromagnetic and mechanical mixer. Ilmenau University of Technology, research internal report (2011)
Jose Oskar Torres Perez
