Experimental and Analytical Study of the Fundamental Interaction and Energy Exchange Processes Between Electric Arc Discharges and Cross-Flow Fields of Preionized Gases with and Without the Presence of Transverse Magnetic Fields

摘要

The report presents results from an experimental and analytical study of an electrical discharge interacting with a transverse flow of pre-ionized gas in the presence of an applied magnetic field. The experimental work includes high speed photography and measurements of elec tricalcharacteristics, heat transfer to the electrodes, as well as radiation emitted by the discharge. A wide variety of data are presented in graphs and tables. The data are correlated in terms of an approximate theory which is developed. The comparison of the experiment with the theory is partially satisfactory. Some conclusions of practical interest are: the electrical discharge under consideration has arc-like characteristics. The column occupies a small fraction of the cross-sectional area in the flow. The fraction of the input power used for acceleration is small. The predominant mode of energy transport from the discharge is convection. Conduction and radiation are negligible. The input power increases in the presence of a magnetic field but the electrical conductivity is independent of the magnetic field up to 5000 gauss. (Author)