DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE MPC CHANNEL IN PRESENCE OF EXTERNAL LONGITUDINAL MAGNETIC FIELD

This paper reports the outcomes of recent experiments on the assessment of the external longitudinal magnetic field effect on the discharge characteristics and the main plasma stream parameters of the magnetoplasma compressor (MPC). The MPC device has been upgraded with the solenoid installed on the accelerating channel. Present experiments were carried out with helium as a working gas (P = 2 Torr) at a voltage up to 20 kV. The magnetic field varied up to 0.3 T. The additional longitudinal magnetic field exerts significant influence on the potential difference, the radial component of the electric field in the vicinity of the MPC electrodes and the electric currents that flow outside the MPC accelerating channel. PACS: 52.40.Hf; 52.70