Abstract
The Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) thruster is an electrical propulsion system that utilizes Lorentz force to convert the electric power to mechanical, accelerating the conductive fluid without the need for conventional moving propellers. However, most propulsion analyses of MHD thrusters are based on fluid dynamics, which is not of the electrical engineering discipline. This article proposes a novel modeling approach that combines Lorentz force with Stokes law in fluid mechanics to figure out the operation mechanism of the MHD thruster. The study investigates the propulsion force towards charged particles in a vacuum and conductive solutions under DC and AC, displaying the resulting moving profiles. Furthermore, this article presents a 550 mm long MHD thruster prototype design that includes the testing liquid solution, electromagnetic field generation, and the power electronic circuit for the electric thruster propulsion, to provide convincing validation of the proposed modeling.