RAYLEIGH-TAYLOR INSTABILITY IN LIQUID-METAL SYNCHRONOUS MHD GENERATORS AND METHODS OF STABILIZING IT,
Abstract
Use of piston-type flow in liquid-metal MHD systems is proposed in order to counteract Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Two main advantages are cited: (1) difficulties connected with acceleration are excluded inasmuch as the generating of electrical energy is guaranteed basically because of the gas expansion in the generator duct itself; flow rate can be more moderate, impossible in systems with continuous flow and noticeably reduced hydraulic losses; (2) in view of the small contact surface between liquid metal and gas and the low coefficient of temperature transfer of gas, a lower temperature of the thermodynamic cycle can be selected independently of the temperature of hardening of the liquid metal, consequently, there appears a possibility of a noticeable increase of the thermal efficiency of the cycle; (3) the possibility appears of realizing the powerful effective and technically perfected synchronous principle of conversion of flow kinetic energy into electrical energy. These features show that a liquid-metal MHD system with piston flow and with electrical energy takeoff by the synchronous principle will be high-power. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 30, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0685487
Entities
People
- K. I. Kim
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center