Introduction T HE magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) propulsion of marine vehicles using seawater's conducting characteristics has been a subject of technical speculation and study for some time.' The concept did not appear to hold much promise until the advent of the superconducting magnets. With these magnets, the power requirement for excitation is virtually absent, and the weight penalty for the ferromagnetic core is reduced. Also, much stronger magnetic fields than those previously attainable can be realized. Its technical possibility was assessed by sea runs in the past, in which the vehicle ran slowly with low efficiency. It was then concluded that superconducting magnets are very essential. However, even with superconducting magnets, the weight problem remains because of the need for structural materials to maintain the integrity of the magnets. Whether an MHD propelled vessel is economically viable is a question awaiting further investigation. However, in certain naval applications where the importance of reducing acoustic signature outweighs other considerations, MHD propulsion offers the desired quietness due to its reduced mechanical moving parts.
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Lin et al. (1991) studied this question.