Numerical simulation on performance of frozen inert gas plasma MHD generator

The feasibility of argon as a working gas, the influence of inlet nonuniformity of plasma on performance, and the possibility of large-scale generator using frozen inert gas plasma (FIP) are numerically examined by using r - θ two-dimensional simulation. The FIP is produced by pre-ionizing inert gas without alkali metal seed at the generator inlet, then the ionization degree of the FIP is kept almost constant in the whole of channel because of considerable slow recombination of inert gas just like frozen reaction plasma. It is found that not only helium but also argon frozen plasma MHD generation is realized, although high accurate control of inlet ionization degree is necessary for argon. It is important to reduce the nonuniformity of plasma property at the inlet of channel in order to grow the maximum enthalpy extraction ratio of generator. Even for the generator with 1000MW thermal input the ionization degree is kept almost constant in the whole of channel and high performance is obtainable. This result is extremely attractive for the FIP MHD generator.