• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.127-132
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• 2003

Natural convection of a magnetic fluid is different from that of Newtonian fluids because magnetic-body force exists in addition to gravity and buoyancy. In this paper, natural convection of a magnetic fluids (W-40) in a cubic cavity was examined by experimental method. One side wall was kept at a constant temperature (25 $^{\circ}C$), and the opposite side wall was also held at a constant but lower temperature (20 $^{\circ}C$). The magnetic fields of various magnitude were applied up and down by permanent magnets. We measured temperatures at 5 points which are the most suitable places in cavity by the analysis record. The thermo-sensitive liquid crystal film (R20C5A) was utilized in order to visualize wall-temperature distributions. Several kinds of experiments were carried out in order to clarify the influence of direction and intensity of magnetic fields on the natural convection. It was found that the natural convection of a magnetic fluids could be controlled by the direction and intensity of the magnetic fields.