Effects of Design Parameters for Lightweight Superconducting MHD Magnets.

Abstract

The report contains an analysis of the design of superconducting magnet subsystems for airborne magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators. An optimum, minimum mass, winding configuration for a dipole magnet is deduced as a pancake-wound, bell-ended saddle coil approximation to an overlapping circle cross-sectional geometry. The variations of coil cross-sectional area and magnetic forces as functions of field, bore and overall current density are presented graphically. Several conductors are considered with short sample and test coil characteristics presented. A sequence of reference designs are presented. Mechanical structure and cryogenic system considerations are summarized and discussed. Factors governing the overall MHD system, including power-to-weight and cost-to-weight ratios are discussed. The effects of the airborne environment on the magnet, the MHD generator on the magnet and the magnet on the MHD generator are reviewed. Conclusions are presented together with final design parameters.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1970
Accession Number
AD0879557

Entities

People

  • David L. Atherton

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Airborne
  • Current Density
  • Environment
  • Generators
  • Geometry
  • Lightweight
  • Magnetic Forces
  • Magnets
  • Mechanical Structure
  • Sequences
  • Superconducting Magnets
  • Weight

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Superconducting Magnet Technology
  • Systems Analysis and Design