Gigawatt, quasi-steady plasma flow facility for fusion rocket simulations

Experimental electrical characterization of a low-current tip–tip arc discharge in helium atmosphere at very high pressure

“…In the non-thermal plasma physics community, the term 'high pressure' generally refers to pressures ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 MPa [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. For pressures above 1 MPa, numerous studies have been dedicated to high-current (I 1 A) ac or dc thermal arcs [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] while the domain of low-current (I < 1 A) discharges remains poorly explored. The study and the control of very high pressure low-current arc discharges are highly technological challenges.…”

Energy deposition via magnetoplasmadynamic acceleration: II. modeling and performance predictions

“…Specifically, the quasi-steady waveform was generated using V o = 5720 V, C i = 9 mF, L ext = 0.5 µH, R ext = 14 m , L i = 0.73 µH and R i = 0 to produce the square pulse depicted. The PFN code has been previously verified [2], but it is of interest to note the following, relative to the depicted current waveform.…”

“…The resulting kinetic energy may be converted to stagnation enthalpy by appropriately decelerating the supersonic flow through a converging-diverging magneticfield diffuser configuration. The beginnings of such a concept were pursued by designing [1] and fabricating a plasma source that provided the aforementioned MPD acceleration along with the design and construction of a facility [2] capable of providing the necessary power levels. Specifically, power on the order of a gigawatt was provided by a 1.625 MJ capacitor bank configured in a pulse-forming network (PFN) capable of discharging within a 1.625 ms pulse.…”

Realizing "2001: A Space Odyssey" - Piloted spherical torus nuclear fusion propulsion

“…Initial simulations have indicated that the OSU test facility will be capable of accelerating plasma up to specific impulses of 20,000 lb f sec/lb m for a duration sufficient to measure plasma state variables and physical phenomena in a comparable regime of fusion space propulsion. 65 Until experimental data is available to correlate theoretical models, the performance of direct fusion propulsion systems will be largely conjecture.…”

“…A 1.6 MJ capacitor bank with a nominal discharge pulse length of 1.6 msec powers the OSU facility. 65,66,67 An existing inverse-pinch switch has been modified to serve as the magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) source test article. Along with a solenoid that will serve as a rudimentary magnetic nozzle, the assembly will be the test bed powered by the capacitor bank.…”