Design of an Experiment to Investigate the MHD Response of Liquid Metal to Pulsed Currents and Magnetic Fields

We present plans for an experimental campaign to examine the MHD response of a liquid metal free surface in scenarios where large-amplitude waves are induced by a nonuniform magnetic field ($<$40~T) parallel to the free surface. An apparatus has been designed in which electrical energy stored in an LC pulse-forming network (PFN) is passed through coaxial conductors to a wire suspended between a solid electrode and a pool of liquid metal. The PFN is designed to deliver a current pulse of up to 100~kA through suspended wires with radii ranging from 1--3~mm for a duration of roughly 5~$\mu$s. A vacuum power feedthrough transmits the pulse to the suspended wire. The PFN circuit was simulated using LTSpice and design iteration resulted in a waveform with less than 55\% predicted load current reversal. The first experiments will be performed with liquid tin due to its low vapor pressure and melting point.