RESEARCH ON THE PHYSICS OF CONTINUOUS AND PULSED MHD GENERATORS

Abstract : Short duration electrical pulses of 1.8 mw peak power have been produced from 10 grams of seeded condensed explosives by MHD principles. The pulse length is about 10 microseconds. Low ionization potential materials are applied either as surface seeding or mixed into the bulk explosive. The effect upon power output of the geometry of the explosion tube, the size, geometry and composition of the explosive charge, and magnetic field intensity and electrode geometry are discussed. Longer duration pulsed power in the time range of one millisecond to one second will be produced using non-detonating (deflagrating) explosives. This apparatus isdescribed, and various potential seeded propellants are discussed. Numerical calculations and microwave probing experiments of seeded combustion product flows indicate that electron attachment in combustion product gases may be an important factor in determining conductivity. Various scaling and geometry considerations for several configurations of explosive- driven MHD generators are discussed.