The effect of an externally applied radio‐frequency electromagnetic field on the performance of a disk MHD generator

Abstract

SUMMARYThe effects of an externally applied radio-frequency (rf) electromagnetic field on the nonequilibrium performance of a disk MHD generator were examined experimentally. As a preliminary experiment, plasma production by the applied rf electromagnetic field was attempted in the disk generator (Disk-PIA), in which rf induction coils were embedded in the one-side disk wall, under the conditions of no seeding, no flow, and no magnetic field. From the results of the preliminary experiment, it was confirmed that the argon plasma (~110 Torr) was produced uniformly in the azimuthal direction by the rf electromagnetic field even in the presence of exposed anodes in the faced disk wall and metallic support at the disk center. In MHD power generation experiments with the Disk-PIA installed in the shocktube facility, the increase in the electrical output and more indiscrete discharge attributed to the rf electromagnetic field were verified with good reproducibility for the first time.

MHD Flow Control and Power Generation in Low-Temperature Supersonic Flows

“…In this case, the MHD open voltage would be considerably higher, Uopcn=P3uBL. Increase of the ionized region size and the MHD electrode separation could be achieved by using the fast ionization wave technique recently developed in Russia [30,31], and by using disk MHD generator ideally suited for operation in the Hall mode [32]. For this, we are planning to use a new high-power FID pulser recently purchased by our group.…”