Design of a ten megawatt rocket driven disk MHD generator

Author

Solbes, A. ; Weede, J. ; Hession, R. ; Mitchell, P.

Author_Institution

TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA, USA

fYear

1989

fDate

6-11 Aug 1989

Firstpage

1073

Abstract

A description is given of a 10 MW rocket-driven MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) disk generator system that has been designed as part of the feasibility study of multimegawatt MHD space power systems for Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) mission applications. The experimental system consists of a plasma generator/injector, a supersonic nozzle, a parallel-wall disk channel, and a diffuser. The magnetic field is provided by a heat sink cryogenic magnet coil. Facility support systems include a reactant feed system, a cooling system, and the required instrumentation and control system. The fuel is an aluminum-monomethylhydrazine gel. The oxidizer is a potassium nitrate-IRFNA solution. Fabrication of the system components was initiated early in 1989. Testing is planned for the second half of 1989

Keywords

magnetohydrodynamic convertors; military systems; space vehicle power plants; 10 MW; SDI; Strategic Defense Initiative; heat sink cryogenic magnet coil; magnetic field; rocket driven disk MHD generator; space power; Coils; Cryogenics; Heat sinks; Magnetic fields; Magnetohydrodynamic power generation; Plasma applications; Power generation; Power systems; Rockets; Space missions;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, 1989. IECEC-89., Proceedings of the 24th Intersociety

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IECEC.1989.74600

Filename

74600