Ionization instability in non-equilibrium MHD generators

Abstract

In the present paper we have investigated the growth rate of ionization instability taking into account the temperature/velocity dependence of collision frequency by using the phenomenological and semi-kinetic approach. For the semi-kinetic treatment, the Boltzmann Transfer Equation (BTE) has been used taking into account the velocity dependence of collision frequency. The electron collision frequency is assumed to be a power law function of the electron temperature or velocity. The exponent governs the behaviour of the scattering mechanism. In both cases the dependence of electron collision frequency on electron temperature/velocity has a stabilizing effect on the growth rate of ionization instability in weakly ionized plasmas of interest in MHD generators.