Instabilities in MHD Accelerators
Abstract
A linearized perturbation analysis is used to determine if instabilities can occur in MHD accelerators. When the electrical perturbations are assumed unaffected by the presence of conducting walls, the enthalpy wave has the largest growth rate. The growth rate depends upon the orientation of the current vector to the wave front and the location within the accelerator. When the electrical perturbations are influenced by the presence of the slanted conducting walls, the upstream-moving magneto-acoustic wave is amplified. When steady-state gradients are neglected, the growth rate changes only slightly in both cases. An elevated electron temperature increases the enthalpy wave growth rate in the absence of conducting walls, but has little effect when the conducting walls control the electrical perturbations. The linearized analysis indicates that instabilities can exist in MHD accelerators and the growth rate may be large in some cases.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0718954
Entities
People
- G. W. Garrison
Organizations
- Arnold Engineering Development Complex