U-25B MHD unit for carrying out investigations under the conditions of strong electric and magnetic fields

The MHD electrical power generating system described in the present paper was developed for use in a Soviet-USA research program to be conducted during 1978 through 1982 to study such aspects of MHD electric power plants as long-term operation of circuit elements at high electric potentials; optimal designing of MHD elements for operation at electric fields as high as 3.5 kV/m, high current densities, and high Hall voltages; the characteristics of superconducting magnetic systems capable of inducing magnetic fields in excess of 5 tesla, etc. The block diagram of the generator and the design of the principal elements and subsystems are discussed.