Design and manufacture of a modular cylindrical apparatus for ferrofluid experimentation

Abstract

Ferrofluids, colloidal suspensions of coated magnetic nanoparticles inside a carrier fluid, respond to externally applied magnetic fields. This thesis addresses the behavior of these fluids when subjected to an azimuthally rotating uniform magnetic field. In order to test the theory that fluid flow in this situation is driven by non-uniform magnetic properties originating from container shape, it is necessary to test ferrofluids in cylindrical vessels of varying aspect ratio. A stacking modular solution was designed and constructed to provide the proper apparatus for these tests. Experiments were conducted to investigate fluid flow patterns, and initial results indicate support for the theory of non-uniform demagnetizing effects as the cause of fluid flow in cylinders of finite height.