2/14/2018 MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATORS

nee /meτ, where e and me are election charge and mass, τ is mean time of electron-neutral colli

mobility enters in the definition of the Hall coefficient, β = µeB.

At low degrees of ionization, when neutral particles provide major part of the effective cross s
collision, the electrical conductivity is an exponential function of gas temperature. Such a stro
electrical conductivity on temperature limits lower working temperature in MHD generator. The
outlet temperature of molecular gases is approximately equal to 2000 K. When noble gases are u
MHD generator, it is possible to substantially decrease minimum working temperature due
ionization.

In an MHD generator with nonequilibrium plasma the enhanced degree of ionization is sustain
heating. The electrical conductivity depends on the electron temperature. To heat electrons it is nec
values of the Hall coefficient (β ≥ 3). However, at the condition β > 1, ionization instability emerge
the magnetic field increases, the plasma transfers to the state of ionization turbulence. One of the m
of turbulent plasma is the use of flow regimes with full ionization of alkali seeding. This appro
realized in disk MHD generators with nonequilibrium plasma.

Electrical conductivity of liquid metals is practically constant and large enough for utilization of th
for an MHD generator. In induction MHD generators the main losses are caused by wall friction
induced in electrodeless channels.

The most advanced and technically feasible MHD generators (in terms of research and developme
conduction type using gaseous working fluids. The presence of the Hall effect leads to a variety o
for such MHD generators, of which are described in what follows.

The Faraday MHD generator is characterized by an electrical scheme in which the load is supp
flowing in the channel in the direction of induced electromotive force (along y-axis in Figure 1). At
coefficient (β ≥ 1) the electrodes of Faraday MHD generator are segmented and switched to in
Figure 3a). The electrode segmentation prevents circulation of the longitudinal current in the electr

= 0) and provides the establishment of an axial electrical field (Ex < 0). In a segmented MHD channe

and efficiency reach their maximum values. At small values of Hall coefficient (β < 1) the segment
and their continuous electrodes switched to a single load are used. In a channel with continu
conditions Ex = 0 and jx > 0 are realized. For an ideal Faraday MHD generator (infinitely fine segm

of Hall effect) the electrical characteristics are the following

where K is the load parameter, determined by the external circuit. In a Hall MHD generator th

supplied to the load, which is switched to the sections of segmented channel (see Figure 3b).
opposite elect odes e sho ted (E 0) The po e o tp t of H ll ge e to is lo e th th t of
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