Accession Number:

AD0810248

Title:

STUDIES ON AN INERT GAS DISK HALL GENERATOR DRIVEN IN A SHOCK TUNNEL.

Descriptive Note:

Research rept.,

Corporate Author:

AVCO EVERETT RESEARCH LAB INC EVERETT MA

Personal Author(s):

• Louis, Jean F.

Report Date:

1967-02-01

Pagination or Media Count:

47.0

Abstract:

A theoretical and experimental study of the plasma properties and fluid mechanics of a large disk magnetohydrodynamic generator driven by high temperature argon seeded with cesium is presented. With a high initial degree of ionization of the seed, theoretical and experimental results indicate a quiescent behavior of the plasma and the generator performance matches the expectation based on the local values of conductivity and Hall coefficient. With a low initial degree of ionization of the seed, nonequilibrium ionization is experimentally observed but is accompanied, as theoretically expected, by large electron density fluctuations. The existence of a long relaxation length and density fluctuations lead to a reduction of the generator performance. The maximum effective Hall coefficient is found to be equal to two, as could theoretically be expected for a plasma with large isotropic fluctuations. Author

Descriptors:

• *MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC GENERATORS
• *FLUID MECHANICS
• PLASMAS(PHYSICS)
• MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
• DISKS
• ARGON
• CESIUM
• RARE GASES
• IONIZATION
• HALL EFFECT
• ELECTRON DENSITY
• SUPERSONIC FLOW
• MAGNETIC FIELDS

Subject Categories:

• Plasma Physics and Magnetohydrodynamics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE