Development and application of diagnostic instrumentation for measurement of electron density and conductivity

Technical Report · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6362224· OSTI ID:6362224

Bauman, L E

The purpose of this contract was to assemble and demonstrate in the laboratory a Faraday rotation system for measurement of electron density and conductivity, with the intent to produce a system suitable for diagnostic support of the development of pulsed, space-based magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power systems. Two system configurations were tested: (1) a rotating polarizer and (2) a beam splitting polarizer. Due to the short path length plasma produced in the laboratory flame, the long wavelength 496 {mu}m methyl fluoride laser line was used and only the more sensitive rotating polarizer configuration was used for the demonstration experiments. Electron number densities from 2 {times} 10{sup 19} to 9 {times} 10{sup 19} were measured with good agreement to statistical equilibrium (Saha) calculations using emission absorption-measured flame temperatures and neutral seed atom number seed atom nuclear densities. The electron collision frequencies were measured by transmission measurements. Combining these two measurements gave measured electron conductivities of between 4 and 12 mohs/m. These results compared reasonably well with those found with an electron collision frequency model combined with chemical equilibrium calculations and the emission absorption measurements. Ellipticity measurements of electron collision frequency were not possible due to the short path length of the laboratory plasma. 46 refs., 25 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: Mississippi State Univ., MS (United States). Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-88PC88652
• OSTI ID: 6362224
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/88652-T7; ON: DE92002134
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
MEASURING METHODS
ELECTRON MOBILITY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
DESIGN
FARADAY EFFECT
LASERS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MHD CHANNELS
PLASMA
POLARIZATION
PROGRESS REPORT
DOCUMENT TYPES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
MOBILITY
PARTICLE MOBILITY
300103* - MHD Generators- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
440800 - Miscellaneous Instrumentation- (1990-)