Experimental study of diagonal conducting wall generators using solid propellants

The work reported here is the result of using a special solid fuel developed as a working fluid for MHD generators by Hercules Inc. Conductivity measurements of the combustion products were made using the electrodes of the Hall channel as floating potential probes. The experimentally determined values of the average conductivity for this type of propellant were found to be in the range between 40 and 50 mho/m. Generator experiments were performed with two different types of channels operating as a Hall generator and as a 45° diagonal conducting wall generator. The generator power output was found to be 3 to 4 times higher than that achieved by even higher flow rates using conventional RP1 and gaseous oxygen for the same generator channel and magnetic field conditions. However, the power increase was insignificant for the Hall generator. The generators operated with relatively little effect observed when coatings of aluminum oxide and other chemicals from the fuel covered the interior of the channel.