Electricity from MHD. Vol. I. Proceedings of a Symposium on Magnetohydrodynamic Electrical Power Generation

Proceedings of a Symposium on Magnetohydrodynamic Electrical Power Generation jointly organized by the IAEA and ENEA and held in Salzburg, 4-8 July 1966. It shows the substantial progress made in MHD generator development, in particular the advances in high-temperature materials, the development of large, high-intensity, superconducting magnets, and the improved understanding of the detailed behaviour of such systems under various operating conditions with a resulting clarification of the technical problems still outstanding. The difficulties of making costing surveys realistic enough to justify a choice being made between conventional plant and one of the MHD generating plant configurations are increased by lack of large-scale prototypes from which data can be obtained under operating conditions approaching those needed in a commercial plant. Contents: (Vol.1) 1. General Physical Problems Related to MHD, (a) Diagnostics (10 papers); (b) Shock tubes (7 papers); (c) Flow and field distribution (19 papers); (d) Auxiliary ionization and relaxation (16 papers). (Vol.11) 2. Closed Cycle, (a) Non-equilibrium theory and measurements (13 papers); (b) Conformal mapping and electrode leakage (12 papers); (c) Flow and non-equilibrium ionization (10 papers); (d) Closed cycle experiments (13 papers); (e) Prospects (12 papers); (f) Round table discussion on closed cycle systems: 3. Liquid Metal, (a) Flows and methods for liquid acceleration (7 papers); (b) Generators (8 papers); (c) Overall cycle considerations (5 papers); (d) Round table discussion on liquid metal systems. (Vol.Ill) 4. Open Cycle, (a) Combustion plasma physics (8 papers); (b) Magnets (6 papers); (c) Materials (19 papers); (d) Striated flows (7 papers); (e) Experiments and measurements on open cycle systems (13 papers); (f) Prospects (17 papers); (g) Round table discussion on open cycle systems. Each sub-set of papers is preceded by a rapporteur's paper and the subsequent discussion (both in English). The papers are reproduced in their original languages (106 English, 29 French, 68 Russian) and abstracts are given in English and in the original language if not English. There are three Round Table Discussions in which groups of experts discuss the field under review and answer questions put by participants. There is an Author Index and a Preprint Symbol Index. (author)