A unipolar generator without a ferromagnetic circuit

An experimental unipolar generator with liquid metal contacts and without a ferromagnetic circuit (a diagram is presented) has been realized. To avoid distortion of the magnetic field of the inductor, all the basic nodes of the structure have been fabricated from nonmagnetic materials. The liquid contacts were prepared from a eutectic alloy of sodium and potassium. Some of the characteristics of the generator - resistance, electromotive force, and power loss - were investigated. It was concluded that a unipolar generator without a ferromagnetic circuit is cost effective at powers of 1 MW or more, provided there is effective cooling of the inductor.