Investigation of a Hall MHD channel with an ionization-unstable plasma of inert gases

We investigate a promising scheme for using ionization-unstable plasmas of pure inert gases as the working medium for a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) closed-cycle generator. Our experiments were carried out using a disc Hall MHD channel, with the flux of ionized gas created in a shock tube. Our working gas was xenon. In these experiments we measured the gas pressure, the flow velocity, the concentration and temperature of the electrons, the azimuthal current density, the distribution of potential in the channel, and the value of the near-electrode voltage drop. We recorded voltage-current characteristics for various values of magnetic field and load resistances. The results of these experiment showed that in an ionization-unstable plasma of inert gases without admixtures of alkali metal, the effective conductivity in the Hall channel increases significantly with increasing degree of criticality of the magnetic field, and the value of the maximum specific power extracted increases more rapidly than the specific power calculated by assuming “frozen” ionization. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 6–11 (December 1997)