Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators

Subramaniam, Vivek; Raja, Laxminarayan L.

doi:10.2514/6.2017-0843

Title: Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators

Abstract

The resistive Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) model describes the behavior of a strongly ionized plasma in the presence of external electric and magnetic fields. We developed a fully implicit MHD simulation tool to solve the resistive MHD governing equations in the context of a cell-centered finite-volume scheme. The primary objective of this study is to use the fully-implicit algorithm to obtain insights into the plasma acceleration and jet formation processes in Coaxial Plasma accelerators; electromagnetic acceleration devices that utilize self-induced magnetic fields to accelerate thermal plasmas to large velocities. We also carry out plasma-surface simulations in order to study the impact interactions when these high velocity plasma jets impinge on target material surfaces. Scaling studies are carried out to establish some basic functional relationships between the target-stagnation conditions and the current discharged between the coaxial electrodes.

Authors:

Subramaniam, Vivek ^[1]; Raja, Laxminarayan L. ^[1]

Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

Publication Date:: Thu Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2017

Research Org.:: Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

OSTI Identifier:: 1363886

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003347; NA0002011

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 55; Conference: 55th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Grapevine, TX (United States), 9-13 Jan 2017; Journal ID: ISSN 1947-7902

Publisher:: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats


                    Subramaniam, Vivek, and Raja, Laxminarayan L. Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.2514/6.2017-0843.

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                    Subramaniam, Vivek, & Raja, Laxminarayan L. Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-0843

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                    Subramaniam, Vivek, and Raja, Laxminarayan L. Thu .  
"Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-0843.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1363886.

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@article{osti_1363886,

  title        = {Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators},

  author       = {Subramaniam, Vivek and Raja, Laxminarayan L.},

  abstractNote = {The resistive Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) model describes the behavior of a strongly ionized plasma in the presence of external electric and magnetic fields. We developed a fully implicit MHD simulation tool to solve the resistive MHD governing equations in the context of a cell-centered finite-volume scheme. The primary objective of this study is to use the fully-implicit algorithm to obtain insights into the plasma acceleration and jet formation processes in Coaxial Plasma accelerators; electromagnetic acceleration devices that utilize self-induced magnetic fields to accelerate thermal plasmas to large velocities. We also carry out plasma-surface simulations in order to study the impact interactions when these high velocity plasma jets impinge on target material surfaces. Scaling studies are carried out to establish some basic functional relationships between the target-stagnation conditions and the current discharged between the coaxial electrodes.},

  doi          = {10.2514/6.2017-0843},

  journal      = {AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting},

  number       = ,

  volume       = 55,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Thu Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2017},

  month        = {Thu Jan 05 00:00:00 EST 2017}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

A flux-limited numerical method for solving the MHD equations to simulate propulsive plasma flows
journal, January 2001

Sankaran, K.; Martinelli, L.; Jardin, S. C.
International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 53, Issue 6
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Computational magneto-aerodynamic hypersonics
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Shang, J.; Gaitonde, Datta; Canupp, Patrick
9th International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference
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Introduction to Plasma Physics
book, January 1995

Goldston, Robert J.; Rutherford, Paul H.
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A matrix free implicit scheme for solution of resistive magneto-hydrodynamics equations on unstructured grids
journal, October 2013

Sitaraman, H.; Raja, L. L.
Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 251
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High-Velocity Neutral Plasma Jet Formed by Dense Plasma Deflagration
journal, October 2014

Loebner, Keith T. K.; Wang, Benjamin C.; Poehlmann, Flavio R.
IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 42, Issue 10
DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2014.2332467

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Title: Fully Implict Magneto-hydrodynamics Simulations of Coaxial Plasma Accelerators

Abstract

Citation Formats

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Computational magneto-aerodynamic hypersonics conference, August 1999

Introduction to Plasma Physics book, January 1995

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High-Velocity Neutral Plasma Jet Formed by Dense Plasma Deflagration
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