PAMIR-3U magnetohydrodynamic generator results

The Air Force's Phillips Laboratory has acquired a high power magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator for possible use with advanced weapons applications. This MHD generator is a PAMIR-3U, a modified Russian-built MHD generator that uses a modified rocket fuel to produce a DC electrical pulse of 100 MJ. The PAMIR-3U generator produces tens of kA at 800 V for an optimized load of (20/spl plusmn/5) m/spl Omega/. A review of the MHD generator design and results of the generator acceptance testing is presented. The PAMIR-3U generator was constructed by the Institute of High Temperatures of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IVTAN) and delivered to the Air Force's Phillips Laboratory under contract with Textron Defense Systems (TDS) of Everett MA.