Auto-oscillations of a conducting piston

L. M. Semyashova - A. I. El'kin - E. I. Yantovskii

Abstract
The article considers the motion of an electrically conducting piston in a sealed tube, filled with an ideal gas, having heated ends and cooled side walls. The piston is located in a homogeneous constant magnetic field, and the electrode parts of the side walls are short-circuited through the load. It demonstrates the existence of a threshold ratio of the temperatures of the hot and cold walls; as this ratio is exceeded, auto-oscillations arise, and there is a conversion of thermal energy into electrical. The frequency of the auto-oscillations and the efficiency of the device are calculated.