Electronic edition ISSN 1574-0579

Conductive liquid-metal MHD pumps with direct current

Yu. A. Birzvalk

Institute of Physics, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Salaspils-1, LV-2169, Latvia

Abstract
The article is a review of the current state and of the prospects for developing conductive liquid-metal MHD pumps with direct current. After a short review of the history of the problem, the general form of the equations for the currents in the pump channel is stated. The ideas of hydraulic pump design are discussed, and more particularly, the effect of the magnetic field upon the flow is taken into account. The basic types of pumps are described. The principles of pump optimization are considered. It is shown that the conditions ∂η/∂p=0 and ∂η/∂Q=0 for p = p_n and Q = Q_n are not typical for designs with η = η_max. The experimental results are analyzed and the possibilities of using conductive MHD machines are reviewed. The unsolved problems are listed.