Abstract
In order to investigate effects of plasma behaviors on fluid-dynamical predictions of generator performance, local steady-state analytical calculations have been conducted. Effective Hall parameter and effective electrical conductivity have been estimated by taking a linear theory on the ionization instability into account. The numerical calculations have been compared with experimental results. Although a fully ionized seed (FIS) condition which suppresses the instability provides the highest generator performances, the FIS plasma could be realized only under the condition of high seed fraction in the experiments. The theoretical analysis implies that the instability due to the insufficient or the excessive electron temperature is a performance-limiting factor. It is possible to estimate effects of the plasma condition on the generator performance by the present simple analysis.
