Plasma plume MHD power generator and method

Hammer, James H

Title: Plasma plume MHD power generator and method

Abstract

Highly-conducting plasma plumes are ejected across the interplanetary magnetic field from a situs that is moving relative to the solar wind, such as a spacecraft or an astral body, such as the moon, having no magnetosphere that excludes the solar wind. Discrete plasma plumes are generated by plasma guns at the situs extending in opposite directions to one another and at an angle, preferably orthogonal, to the magnetic field direction of the solar wind plasma. The opposed plumes are separately electrically connected to their source by a low impedance connection. The relative movement between the plasma plumes and the solar wind plasma creates a voltage drop across the plumes which is tapped by placing the desired electrical load between the electrical connections of the plumes to their sources. A portion of the energy produced may be used in generating the plasma plumes for sustained operation.

Inventors:

Hammer, James H ^[1]

Livermore, CA

Issue Date:: 1993-01-01

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 868884

Patent Number(s):: 5234183

Assignee:: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B64 - AIRCRAFT B64G - COSMONAUTICS

H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05H - PLASMA TECHNIQUE

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B64 - AIRCRAFT B64G - COSMONAUTICS
B64G1/421 - {Non-solar power generation}

H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05H - PLASMA TECHNIQUE
H05H1/48 - using an arc

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DOE Contract Number:: W-7405-ENG-48

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: plasma; plume; mhd; power; generator; method; highly-conducting; plumes; ejected; interplanetary; magnetic; field; situs; moving; relative; solar; wind; spacecraft; astral; moon; magnetosphere; excludes; discrete; generated; guns; extending; opposite; directions; angle; preferably; orthogonal; direction; opposed; separately; electrically; connected; source; impedance; connection; movement; creates; voltage; drop; tapped; placing; desired; electrical; load; connections; sources; portion; energy; produced; generating; sustained; operation; opposite direction; opposite directions; magnetic field; electrically connected; relative movement; electrical connection; voltage drop; plasma gun; energy produced; electrical load; power generator; moving relative; mhd power; electrical connections; plasma plume; /244/

Citation Formats


                    Hammer, James H. Plasma plume MHD power generator and method.  United States: N. p., 1993. 
        Web.

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                    Hammer, James H. Plasma plume MHD power generator and method.  United States.

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                    Hammer, James H. Fri .  
        "Plasma plume MHD power generator and method".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868884.

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@article{osti_868884,

  title        = {Plasma plume MHD power generator and method},

  author       = {Hammer, James H},

  abstractNote = {Highly-conducting plasma plumes are ejected across the interplanetary magnetic field from a situs that is moving relative to the solar wind, such as a spacecraft or an astral body, such as the moon, having no magnetosphere that excludes the solar wind. Discrete plasma plumes are generated by plasma guns at the situs extending in opposite directions to one another and at an angle, preferably orthogonal, to the magnetic field direction of the solar wind plasma. The opposed plumes are separately electrically connected to their source by a low impedance connection. The relative movement between the plasma plumes and the solar wind plasma creates a voltage drop across the plumes which is tapped by placing the desired electrical load between the electrical connections of the plumes to their sources. A portion of the energy produced may be used in generating the plasma plumes for sustained operation.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1993},

  month        = {1}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

The AMPTE artificial comet experiments
journal, April 1986

Valenzuela, A.; Haerendel, G.; Föppl, H.
Nature, Vol. 320, Issue 6064
https://doi.org/10.1038/320700a0

Drag and propulsion of large satellites in the ionosphere: An Alfvén propulsion engine in space
journal, July 1965

Drell, S. D.; Foley, H. M.; Ruderman, M. A.
Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 70, Issue 13
https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ070i013p03131

Electrical behavior of a Shuttle Electrodynamic Tether System (SETS)
journal, February 1981

Banks, P. M.; Williamson, P. R.; Oyama, K. -I.
Planetary and Space Science, Vol. 29, Issue 2
https://doi.org/10.1016/0032-0633(81)90028-3

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Title: Plasma plume MHD power generator and method

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Citation Formats

The AMPTE artificial comet experiments journal, April 1986

Drag and propulsion of large satellites in the ionosphere: An Alfvén propulsion engine in space journal, July 1965

Electrical behavior of a Shuttle Electrodynamic Tether System (SETS) journal, February 1981

The AMPTE artificial comet experiments
journal, April 1986

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journal, July 1965

Electrical behavior of a Shuttle Electrodynamic Tether System (SETS)
journal, February 1981