High-performance nonequilibrium-plasma magnetohydrodynamic electrical power generator using slightly divergent channel configuration: II. Experiment

We describe experiments carried out to evaluate a newly developed high-performance nonequilibrium-plasma magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electrical power generator equipped with a slightly divergent supersonic channel. The slightly divergent generator and a similar-scale highly divergent generator are evaluated in shock-tube experiments. The effects of electrical conductivity control and magnetic flux density control on the generator operation are investigated, and Hall voltage–Hall current characteristics, plasma-fluid behaviour and plasma structures are described. The slightly divergent channel configuration and the application of high- and uniform-density magnetic flux overcome the disadvantages of the generator due to its compactness, and markedly improves its performance. The ratio of isentropic efficiency to enthalpy extraction ratio and the power output density are outstanding compared with previous MHD power generators. The experimental results are supported by the numerically simulated results. This paper is the second part of a duology.