Effect of electrode processes on characteristics of pulse MHD generators

An investigation of klectrical and gaseynamical processes in the vicinity of electrode surfaces of MHD channels has been carried out with the ''Pamic-0'' MHD installation. The plasma source has a mass flow rate 1 kg/s of double-base solid fuel combustion products. A considerable diminishing of electrode voltage losses is achieved by boundary layer heating and suction. An approximate theory of electrode voltage losses is presented. Boundary layer suction allows in some extent to prevent the layer separation and to achieve a supersonic flow MHD decceleration up to Mach Number about one. Pressure drop with and without suction have been determined. Some physical models of flows with boundary layers separation are presented, adequately explaining experimental data