Ultrasonic flow measurements and bubble detection in gas-stirred metallic melts

In this study we investigate the flow structure in a liquid metal cylinder while a bubble driven recirculation flow is superposed with a rotating magnetic field (RMF). The flow structure and the bubble detection were measured by means of the ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV) and ultrasound transit-time technique (UTTT). The measurements revealed the potential of the RMF to control both the amplitude of the meridional flow and the bubble distribution and to provide an effective mixing in the whole fluid volume. Various periodic flow patterns were observed in a certain parameter range with respect to variations of the magnetic field strength and the gas flow rate.