European Activities onMHD Energy Conversion

The paper contains a review of the research activities on MHD energy conversion and on other MHD interaction applications carried on in Europe since the end of the years 60's till now. In the first three decades the research where concentrated on MHD electrical power generation in open and closed cycle. Lastly the activity has mostly been concentrated on the MHD application in aero-fluid dynamics. The main researches are devoted to MPD thrusters for space propulsion, MHD interaction in hypersonic flows during the re-entry into the atmosphere of hypersonic vehicles for the control of the shock layer and the heat flow toward the wall and the control of the flight. A brief summary of the activity carried out by the research groups active in this field is presented.