Gravitational flow of a thin film of liquid metal in a strong magnetic field

Abstract The influence of a poloidal magnetic field of the spherical Tokamak on super thin (h ≈ 0.1 mm) film flow of liquid metal driven by gravity over the surface of the cooled divertor plate is addressed. The experimental setup developed at the Institute of Physics, University of Latvia (IPUL) is described, which makes it possible to drive and visualize such liquid metal flows in the solenoid of the superconducting magnet “Magdalena”. As applied to the above setup, the magnetic field effect on the operation of the capillary system of liquid metal flow distribution (CSFD) is evaluated by using molten metal (lithium or eutectic InGaSn alloy) with a very small linear flowrate q ≤ 1 mm2/s, s…