Numerical models of steady-state and pulsating flows of self-ionizing gas in plasma accelerator channels (Q889243)

The considered model of a plasma accelerator channel consists of two electrodes connected to an electric circuit. A neutral gas is injected between the electrodes. When a sufficient voltage is given to the electrodes, gas breakdown begins and an ionisation front is formed. The MHD model is used to describe the flow of the gas (plasma), which is supposed to undergo a self-ionization process. Thus the medium consists of atoms, ions and electrons which move in a magnetic field. The problem was studied previously by \textit{S. I. Braginski's} [``Transport phenomena in plasma'', in: M. A. Leontovich (ed.), Plasma theory problems. Moscow: Atomizdat (1963)]. Now, in this report, the gas is hydrogen, the mass of atoms and ions are taken to be equal. The concentration of the gas entering the channel is \(10^{16}- 10^{18}\text{cm}^{-3}\), and the medium is quasi-neutral: \(n_e\sim n_i\). The velocities of the participants of the mixture are assumed to be identical and so are their temperatures. The external magnetic field is azymuthal. The working model takes into account the ionization and recombination kinetics within the diffusion approximation, with accounting for the photoionization and photorecombination. Also the heat conduction is accounted for, the heat exchange is now caused by radiative heat-conductance. The calculation is made in a quasi-one-dimensional flow model with computational techniques. The results in this model are the following. As the discharge current decreases, pulsating flows are observed instead of a steady-state ionization process. The flow of the self-organizing gas is characterized by a sharp increase in temperature, velocity and degree of ionization and by a sharp decrease in density and magnetic field at the ionization front located at the narrowes part of the channel. Further, the pulsating flows of the self-ionizing gas are accompanied by oscillations of all the other variables. The numerical data permit to determine the boundary of transition from pulsating modes to steady-state flows of the self-ionizing gas, which may give an important hint to consider the relation of the kinetic to magnetic pressure on the one hand, and the value of the conductance on the other.