Effects of Auxiliary DC Discharges on the Performance of a Linear MHD Generator Using Potassium-Seeded Argon Plasmas

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 8; no. 6; p. 772
• Main Authors: Shirakata, Hirofumi, Hiramoto, Tatsumi, Yano, Syukuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.1969
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.8.772

Experimental results are described concerning the effect of preionization by DC discharge parallel to the magnetic field on the performance of the linear MHD generator. Experiments were made with a blow-down facility, using a potassium-seeded argon or a K 2 CO 3 -seeded argon in the temperature range of 1600°–1950°K at 1 atm and Mach number below 0.27. When the discharge was stable and uniform, the short-circuited current increased with increase in the applied discharge current, and the decrease in the nonuniformity of the electron density in the normal direction was indicated. However, the effective Hall parameter was not increased by the discharge. The enhancement in the electron density in the central flow region due to the discharge was concluded. However, the existence of the magnetically induced nonequilibrium state could not be verified. A discussion is made on the estimation of the recombination coefficient.