Preliminary Faraday Performance of a Large Magnetohydrodynamic Generator at High Magnetic Field

The high performance demonstration experiment (HPDE) is in progress with the objective of demonstrating that an MHD generator, simulating a commercial scale device, can convert 15% of the available thermal energy into electrical power. Operation of the facility was initiated in the fall of 1979. Preliminary experimental results have been obtained with the channel in the Faraday configuration and magnetic field strengths from 1.5-3.5 T. A maximum Faraday power of 23 MW has been generated which represents an enthalpy extraction of 9%. A detailed analysis of the electrical power and aerodynamic characteristics of the channel, including the voltage drop in the relatively cold plasma layers near the electrode walls is presented.