Numerical Study of Current Distribution and Thrust in Diagonal Pulsed Magnetohydrodynamic Accelerator

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the incremental thrust in a diagonal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) accelerator as a function of the number of segmented electrodes, the applied magnetic-flux density, and the different setting of diagonal angle. The peak incremental thrust obtained from the numerical result was agreement with that of the experimental result. For understanding the characteristics of current vector distribution in a diagonal MHD accelerator, we calculated the current vector as the function of a number of segmented electrodes, the applied magnetic-flux density and the different setting of diagonal angle. The simulations showed the current vector distribution inside the MHD channel as well as the current flow crossed into tungsten wires as a diagonal connection of the MHD channel. From these numerical simulations, the tilt angle of current vector distribution was changed by Faraday current in the MHD channel, which was controlled by the magnetic field.