MHD propulsion is different from the conventional screw propeller. It is an propeller to directly convert the electrical power to hydraulic energy. Featured by slight vibration, low noise and easy control, it is of great value in application of ship propulsion. An experimental ship, propelled by superconducting helical MHD thruster has been successfully developed in IEE in 1998, and won the second prize of Science and Technology Progress Award issued by Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2000. An experimental study of the helical MHD thruster, cooperated with Japanese researchers was carried out in Tsukuba, Japan in 1999, which was the first experimental investigation in the world on the MHD ship propulsion under the condition of such a strong magnetic field (14 T). Also an MHD propulsion lab has been established in IEE, which is equipped with a test facility including a solenoid superconducting magnet of 5T, and a navigation pool for the experimental ship, and holds comparatively plentiful experimental databases and computer simulation and analysis software.
Current research activities are focused on to improve the performance of helical MHD thruster.
