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:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- 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
- 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.
Hammer, James H. Plasma plume MHD power generator and method. United States.
Hammer, James H. Fri .
"Plasma plume MHD power generator and method". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868884.
@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}
}