Development of high voltage pulsed DC plasma source and its discharging characteristics

The high voltage pulsed plus DC plasma source suitable for hypersonic shock wave wind tunnel was developed which could meet the needs of hypersonic MHD flow control experiment. This source adopted synchronous high voltage pulsed discharge and DC-maintained discharge technology. Firstly, we experimentally investigated the plasma discharging characteristics in static low pressure flow, and found that discharging was acuteness at first and current could get 16 A. The current got small and the discharging got week with energy consuming. The discharging area was approximate rotundity. Then, we experimentally investigated the plasma discharging characteristic in hypersonic flow, MHD accelerating actuation and MHD decelerating actuation in hypersonic shock wave wind tunnel, and brought forward a determinant standard of MHD actuation intensity for hypersonic shock wave wind tunnel. The results reveal that the magnetic field can stabilize arc, the energy consuming for plasma source in the presence of magnetic field is three to four times of that in the absence of magnetic field, and the power is approximately equal to that of MHD accelerating actuation and MHD decelerating actuation but the energy consumption is higher than MHD accelerating actuation.