A code-to-code benchmark for magneto-convection in a horizontal duct

Liquid metals and magnetic fields are used in many technical applications such as metallurgy,
crystal growth and nuclear fusion reactors. When an electrically conducting fluid moves in a
magnetic environment, electric currents and electromagnetic forces are generated that affect
velocity and pressure losses in the flow. These magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interactions have
to be investigated to optimize the engineering processes. The characteristics of MHD flows
depend on the geometrical configuration, the strength of the applied magnetic field, the
electrical properties of fluid and structural materials and the thermal conditions. In the so-called
blankets for fusion reactors, where liquid metals are used to breed the plasma fuel component
tritium and to extract the generated heat, magneto-convective flows play a crucial role in
determining heat and mass transfer. Therefore, the availability of numerical codes to simulate
this type of flow is mandatory and their validation is a necessary step to guarantee the reliability
of the results. For that reason, a benchmark problem has been defined to simulate liquid metal
flows in a horizontal rectangular duct heated from below and exposed to a non-uniform
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magnetic field. Results obtained by five research groups using different codes are compared.