Low-temperature M=3 flow deceleration by Lorentz force

Abstract

This paper presents results of cold magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow deceleration experiments using repetitively pulsed, short pulse duration, high voltage discharge to produce ionization in M=3 nitrogen and air flows in the presence of transverse direct current electric field and transverse magnetic field. MHD effect on the flow is detected from the flow static pressure measurements. Retarding Lorentz force applied to the flow produces a static pressure increase of up to 17%–20%, while accelerating force of the same magnitude results in static pressure increase of up to 5%–7%. The measured static pressure changes are compared with modeling calculations using quasi-one-dimensional MHD flow equations. Comparison of the experimental results with the modeling calculations shows that the retarding Lorentz force increases the static pressure rise produced by Joule heating of the flow, while the accelerating Lorentz force reduces the pressure rise. The effect is produced for two possible combinations of the magnetic field and transverse current directions producing the same Lorentz force direction (both for accelerating and retarding force). This demonstrates that the observed static pressure change is indeed due to the MHD interaction, and not due to Joule heating of the flow in the crossed discharge. No discharge polarity effect on the static pressure was detected in the absence of the magnetic field. The fraction of the discharge input power going into Joule heat in nitrogen and dry air, inferred from the present experiments, is low, α=0.1, primarily because energy remains frozen in the vibrational energy mode of nitrogen. This result provides first direct evidence of cold supersonic flow deceleration by Lorentz force.