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Numerical performance simulation of frozen helium plasma disk MHD generator
Author(s) -
Kobayashi Hiromichi,
Satou Yukimasa,
Okuno Yoshihiro
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
electrical engineering in japan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1520-6416
pISSN - 0424-7760
DOI - 10.1002/eej.10030
Subject(s) - magnetohydrodynamic generator , helium , plasma , ionization , atomic physics , generator (circuit theory) , magnetohydrodynamics , materials science , physics , mechanics , ion , power (physics) , thermodynamics , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
MHD electrical power generation with frozen helium plasma (FHP) is examined numerically. The FHP can be initiated by preionized helium without the alkali metal seed at the generator inlet. Since the three‐body recombination coefficient of helium ions is low at electron temperatures above 5000 K, the ionization degree can be kept almost constant in the entire region of the generator channel. The r −θ two‐dimensional numerical results show that the performance of the FHP MHD generator is comparable to that of the seeded plasma MHD generator, if the additional power consumed to preionization is ignored. In the FHP MHD generator, the ionization degree at the inlet should be controlled precisely, as well as the seed fraction in the seeded plasma MHD generator. Under an adequate inlet ionization degree for sustaining the FHP plasma, the plasma maintains the uniform structure. On the other hand, a slightly excess ionization degree causes a strong Lorentz force in the upstream region of the generator, deteriorating the generator performance. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 140(3): 26–33, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.10030