Design and operation of the Westinghouse electrode systems test facility /WESTF/

The paper describes the design and operation of a 1.0 MW(thermal) test facility, along with the techniques used to evaluate the electrical and thermal performance of MHD electrode systems under simulated clean or coal fired MHD generator conditions. An electrode system is defined as the basic generator elements which allow for current transfer, electrical insulation and thermal management. One-dimensional momentum and energy equations including friction and heat loss terms are used to predict the thermal conditions in the test channel, where a Mollier diagram of the products of combustion of toluene and air is used for fluid properties. Five tests on cold copper electrode systems and four tests on hot ceramic electrode systems have been run in the facility since June 1977. Thermal design of test channels based on one-dimensional duct flow analysis is proven by test results to accurately predict the desired test conditions. The test facility operates very reliably as a long-duration device for the screening of candidate electrode materials.