Proposal of Electrode Connection on Diagonal MHD Accelerator

Abstract

Applications of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) accelerator for advanced propulsion has been proposed. The Magnetohydrodynamic Augmented Propulsion Experiment (MAPX) that has diagonal connected MHD accelerator is planned by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The diagonal accelerator with suitable electrode connections can achieve the condition that the current of flow direction is neutralized to avoid flow asymmetry and needless Joule heating. It is called the Hall current neutralized condition. In this paper, the suitable electrode connection for the neutralized condition is assessed theoretically, and it is evaluated whether the connection is able to be achieved in actual device. Although difference from ideal connection causes the difference of the current distribution, the impact is so little that variation of axial flow velocity is almost same as ideal case. We found that the actual MHD accelerator in MAPX can also attain the Hall current neutralized condition almost similar to the ideal condition.