Abstract Efficiency of non-equilibrium magnetohydrodynamic generators is markedly increased by provision of thermionically emitting cathodes. Cesium in concentrations 0.1 to 0.3 percent improves plasma conductivity, and when deposited on hot tungsten vastly improves thermionic emission but only in absolute concentrations which, near atmospheric pressure, greatly exceed 0.1 to 0.3 percent. Cesium is applied topically in sufficient concentrations to tungsten surface either from dispenser arrangement in which cesium passes through tungsten cathode face, or through apertures in channel wall adjacent to tungsten cathode face; amounts used are such that, after passage into main gas stream and mixture therewith, cesium concentration is still within permissible limits for improving plasma conductivity. Alternatively, generator is operated at high gas pressure (e.g., 5 atmospheres) so that the requisite absolute cesium concentration for thermionic emission is only the permissible 0.1 to 0.3 percent of the concentration of the pressurized plasma. The Invention herein described was made in the course of or under a contract or subcontract thereunder, (or grant) with the Department of the Navy.
Inventors
👤 B Zauderer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-28 21:33
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K44/00; H02K44/08; H02K44/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A generator as claimed in claim 1 in which j. the concentration of cesium in the noble gas as received by the channel is at least 1017 atoms per cubic centimeter, and k. the pressure of the gas in the channel is such that the concentration of cesium atoms is from 0.1 to 0.3 percent of the total number of gas atoms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A generator as claimed in claim 1 in which l. the concentration of cesium in the noble gas as received by the channel is less than 1017 atoms per cubic centimeter, and m. cathode cesium means are provided with inject additional cesium vapor immediately adjacent to the exposed cathode surfaces to provide a concentration of at least 1017 cesium atoms per cubic centimeter, and n. the concentration of cesium atoms in the gas which enters the gas exIt means is not more than 0.3 percent of the total number of gas atoms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A generator as claimed in claim 3 in which o. the said cathode electrodes comprise tungsten provided with interior passages extending to the surface exposed to the moving gas, and p. the cathode cesium means comprise a store in which cesium is kept molten connected to the said interior passages at a part of the tungsten not exposed to the moving gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A generator as claimed in claim 4 in which q. the interior passages are sufficiently small to stop the passage of liquid molten cesium and r. the liquid molten cesium is in contact with the tungsten.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A generator as claimed in claim 4 in which s. the molten cesium is apart from the tungsten and its vapor enters the interior passages.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
A generator as claimed in claim 3 in which t. the cathode cesium means comprise a store of cesium and means for vaporizing the cesium, connected to u. apertures in the channel wall adjacent to the exposed surfaces of the cathode electrodes for discharging the cesium vapor into the immediate vicinity of the exposed surfaces.