High magnetic field MHD generator program. Final report, July 1, 1976-December 31, 1979
A theoretical and experimental program was undertaken to investigate MHD channel phenomena which are important at high magnetic fields. The areas studied were inhomogeneity effects, boundary layers, Hall field breakdown and electrode configuration and current concentrations. In addition, a program was undertaken to study steady-state combustion disk and linear channels in an existing 6 Tesla magnet of small dimensions. The structure of the inhomogeneities in the Stanford M-2 was characterized and compared with theoretical results from a linearized perturbation analysis. General agreement was obtained and the analysis was used to compute stability regions for large size generators. The Faraday electrical connection was found to be more stable than the Hall or diagonal wall connections. Boundary layer profile measurements were compared with theoretical calculations with good agreement. Extrapolation of the calculations to pilot scale MHD channels indicates that Hartmann effects are important in the analysis of the sidewall, and Joule heating is important in calculating heat transfer and voltage drops for the electrode wall. Hall field breakdown was shown to occur both in the plasma and through the interelectrode insulator with the insulator breakdown threshold voltage lower than the plasma value. The threshold voltage was shown to depend on the interelectrode gap but was relatively independent of plasma conditions. Experiments were performed at 5.5 Tesla with both disk and linear MHD channels.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Univ., CA (USA). High Temperature Gasdynamics Lab.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC01-76ET10780
- OSTI ID:
- 6423853
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ET/10780-T1; FE-2341-16
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
300103 -- MHD Generators-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
300104* -- MHD Generators-- Duct Engineering & Fluid Dynamics
BOUNDARY LAYERS
BREAKDOWN
CURRENT DENSITY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISK MHD GENERATORS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC HEATING
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
ELECTROMAGNETS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FLUCTUATIONS
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
HALL EFFECT
HARTMANN NUMBER
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATING
INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA
JOULE HEATING
LASERS
LAYERS
LUMINOSITY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MHD CHANNELS
MHD GENERATORS
MONITORING
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA HEATING
PRESSURE GAGES
RESISTANCE HEATING
SPECTROSCOPY
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
TEMPERATURE MONITORING
TURBULENCE
VARIATIONS
VELOCIMETERS
VOLTAGE DROP