Magnetohydrodynamic effects of heterogeneous spray detonation

Abstract

Electrical power on the board of an aircraft with a liquid-fuel pulse-detonation engine is proposed to be produced by a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator placed at the outlet of the jet nozzle. MHD effects of the pulsed heterogeneous (spray) detonation of n-heptane–oxygen mixtures with addition of a potassium carbonate aqueous solution (ionizing additive) to the detonation products are studied. The MHD channel electrodes are demonstrated to steadily generate voltage pulses with an amplitude of up to 3 V. Three types of shape of individual pulses are observed: single pulses, double pulses, and double pulses with a shortterm change in the sign of the voltage. Increasing the frequency of operation of the PDE from 20 to 40 Hz does not affect the amplitude and shape of the voltage pulse. Reducing the magnetic induction from 0.6 to 0.3 T decreases the amplitude of the voltage pulse across the MHD channel electrodes, but the shape of individual pulses remains virtually unchanged. Leaning the fuel mixture reduces the generated voltage. Addition of mechanoactivated Mg-MoO₃ energetic nanocomposite to the fuel mixture does not cause significant changes in the shape and amplitude of voltage pulses.