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U.S. Department of Energy
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High magnetic field MHD generator program. Annual report, October 1, 1979-September 30, 1980

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6609423

Progress in a theoretical and experimental program designed to investigate MHD channel phenomena which are important at high magnetic fields is described. The areas of research include nonuniformity effects, boundary layers, Hall field breakdown, the effects on electrode configuration and current concentrations, and studies of steady-state combustion disk and linear channels in an existing 6 Tesla magnet of small dimensions. In the study of the effects of nonuniformities and instabilities, theoretical models have been developed and tested against available data. Experimental facilities, including new diagnostics, have been prepared for forthcoming experiments. Boundary layer measurements and calculations of velocity, temperature, and electron density have been systematically assessed; by accounting for the effect of free-stream turbulence, good agreement is obtained between measurement and theory. An improved laser doppler anemometer has been developed for turbulence damping and velocity profile measurements. Experiments with several insulator designs have shown that conductively cooled insulators can substantially inhibit insulator-induced Hall field breakdown. An improved theoretical model has yielded good agreement with the results of breakdown experiments. Three-dimensional calculations of the effects of electrode configuration on current concentrations have been performed. Reduced current concentrations were found for electrodes with surfaces to the magnetic field. Experiments were conducted at magnetic fields over 5 Tesla for both disk and linear MHD channels.

Research Organization:
Stanford Univ., CA (USA). High Temperature Gasdynamics Lab.
DOE Contract Number:
AC01-80ET15611
OSTI ID:
6609423
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/15611-3
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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