MHD Turbulence Measurements in a Sodium Channel Flow Exposed to a Transverse Magnetic Field

The influence of a static transverse magnetic field on a turbulent sodium flow in a channel with a
rectangular cross section is investigated. The turbulence has been forced by mechanical means
employing a grid of cylindrical bars. Electric potential probes have been used to determine the
longitudinal component of the liquid velocity. The experiments cover a wide range of the
non-dimensional parameters Hartmann number (Ha < 3000) and the magnetic interaction parameter
(N < 800). Measurements of the turbulence intensity as a function of the magnetic interaction
number N will be presented and discussed. The measured spectra are essentially different from those
predicted according to the theory of two-dimensional turbulence.