CA1088608A - Magnetohydrodynamic power systems with combustor for generating shock waves in combustion products - Google Patents
Magnetohydrodynamic power systems with combustor for generating shock waves in combustion productsInfo
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- CA1088608A CA1088608A CA275,273A CA275273A CA1088608A CA 1088608 A CA1088608 A CA 1088608A CA 275273 A CA275273 A CA 275273A CA 1088608 A CA1088608 A CA 1088608A
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- combustion
- combustion chamber
- shock waves
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- explosive
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
In combustion fired magnetohydrodynamic power systems conventional fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and the like are first completely burned, and then shock waves are generated in the combustion products by means of small amounts of explosives which are preferably initiated by pulsed lasers. Thus, highly ionized particles of great flow velocities are obtained which are supplied into a usual MHD generator to induce a ripple current in a load circuit at high efficiency.
In combustion fired magnetohydrodynamic power systems conventional fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and the like are first completely burned, and then shock waves are generated in the combustion products by means of small amounts of explosives which are preferably initiated by pulsed lasers. Thus, highly ionized particles of great flow velocities are obtained which are supplied into a usual MHD generator to induce a ripple current in a load circuit at high efficiency.
Description
1~8860~3 ; BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
:
This invention relates to magnetohydrodynamic methods and generators which supply an EMF force derived from mutual actions of conductive fluids flowing wlthin magnetic fields. "MHD" is an ab-breviation for the term magnetohydrodynamic.
More particularly, the present invention is concerned with combustion fired MHD power systems the working fluid of which con-sists of combustion products resulting from a combustion of cheap fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas, carbon monoxide, char and the ;~ 10 like with an oxidant such as air. The efficiency of such MHD power . . .systems is the greater the higher the electric conductivity of their ~; working fluids. Conductivity, in turn, is dependent on ionization.
'`'~ Unfortunately, combustion temperatures of conventional combustibles ;,~, .
~ are not high enough to obtain a suitable ionization of a working fluid ;~ consisting of the products of such combustion. Therefore, it has ,~ , been tried to increase working fluid ionization in various manners ~;;' such as by virtue of external energy, electric arc discharges, and seeding the working fluid with an alkali metal such as cesium or potassium.
~; 20 Also shock waves are suitable to improve ionization since they are directional and, therefore, generate translation and dis-~`. sociation terms in the direction of progress. Such means are described ,~ in British Patent Specification No. 1,296,309, University of Utah, ''?'~" published November 15, 1972.
:~ Shock waves have been generated in combustors of MHD gen-' erators also by feeding them with explosives and detonating the latter periodically whereby high voltage electrical impulses in a range of ` 10 to 20 kilovolts could be obtained. Such MHD-generators are dealt with
:
This invention relates to magnetohydrodynamic methods and generators which supply an EMF force derived from mutual actions of conductive fluids flowing wlthin magnetic fields. "MHD" is an ab-breviation for the term magnetohydrodynamic.
More particularly, the present invention is concerned with combustion fired MHD power systems the working fluid of which con-sists of combustion products resulting from a combustion of cheap fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas, carbon monoxide, char and the ;~ 10 like with an oxidant such as air. The efficiency of such MHD power . . .systems is the greater the higher the electric conductivity of their ~; working fluids. Conductivity, in turn, is dependent on ionization.
'`'~ Unfortunately, combustion temperatures of conventional combustibles ;,~, .
~ are not high enough to obtain a suitable ionization of a working fluid ;~ consisting of the products of such combustion. Therefore, it has ,~ , been tried to increase working fluid ionization in various manners ~;;' such as by virtue of external energy, electric arc discharges, and seeding the working fluid with an alkali metal such as cesium or potassium.
~; 20 Also shock waves are suitable to improve ionization since they are directional and, therefore, generate translation and dis-~`. sociation terms in the direction of progress. Such means are described ,~ in British Patent Specification No. 1,296,309, University of Utah, ''?'~" published November 15, 1972.
:~ Shock waves have been generated in combustors of MHD gen-' erators also by feeding them with explosives and detonating the latter periodically whereby high voltage electrical impulses in a range of ` 10 to 20 kilovolts could be obtained. Such MHD-generators are dealt with
-2- ,~
:
1(~8~6~
by Ernest H. Jager and Franz R. Thomanek in their article "Untersuchungen uber sprengstoffbetriebene MHD-Generatoren" in Vol. 25 1974 Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics (ZAMP) pp. 47 to 54. However, explosives are relatively expensive for being used as fuels. ~oreover, explosion time periods are too short for the explosive being thoroughly combusted whereby energy transformation is rendered incomplete with inevitable energy losses and low efficiency. Thus, the use of explosive fired MHD generators is, at present, economically unjustified.
The present invention is thought to be an improvement over such systems in that the principle of increasing ionization by means of shock waves is employed in connection with conven-tional and, thus, low cost fuels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of generating electric energy magnetohydro-dynamically comprising the steps: combusting a fuel material in a combustion chamber; generating shock waves at the termination of the combustion of said fuel material in the combustion products thereof; directing said shock waves within said combustion chamber and guiding them several times through said combustion products by reflecting them; and supplying said combustion products ionized several times by said shock waves into an MHD-generator.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an MHD power system comprising an MHD generator;
a combustion chamber in the form of a cavity resonator to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generators; a fuel supply inlet in said combustion chamber; fuel supply means connected to said fuel supply inlet; an explosive 1~886~8 supply inlet in said combustion chamber; explosive supply means connected to said explosive supply inlet; and explosion initiating inlet in said combustion chamber; explosion initiating means connected to said explosion initiating inlet; an outlet in said combustion chamber for exhausting said combustion pro-ducts to said generator; sensing means with a signal output in said combustion chamber for sensing at least one combustion parameter therein, a control unit with a control signal input for operating said fuel supply means, said explosive supply means and said explosion initiating means; said signal output of said sensing being connected to said control signal input of said unit.
The invention relates to an improved combustion fired MHD power system in which shock waves are applied to combustion products resulting from combustion of conventional fuels.
According to the present invention, in a method of generating electric energy magnetohydro-dynamically in a combustion fired MHD power system, first a conventional fuel is combusted to combustion products, then, with combustion substantially ter-2a minated shock waves are generated in such combustion productsso as to ioniæe them. Eventually, the ionized combustion products are exhausted by theirproper pressure and the shock waves.
The main advantage of the new MHD power system consists in permitting the use conventional fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas, carbon monoxide, char etc. since such fuels are relatively inexpensive and plentiful, and provide - 3a -.~
1(~886~
good possibilities for MHD power systems that are economical. More-over, such fuels are permitted to burn completely prior to their being supplied to an MHD generator. Thus, in contrast to explosive fired MHD generators, no energy losses due to incomplete combustion will occur. It has been recognized that such combustion products may be strongly ionized by generating shork waves in them when com-bustion has substantially been terminated and that by means of using surprisingly small amounts of explosives which means a likewise low cost of explosive consumption. Furthermore, relatively slow com-bustion permits a reliable synchronisation of fuel supply, ignition combustion, shock wave generation, combustion gases exhaust and cycle repetitions. Thus, a relatively high efficiency may be obtained as proved by calculations which permit an estimate of 30 to 40 %.
Such figures are due to shock waves directional and, being directed so that they greatly enhance the forming of translation and dis-sociation terms as has been referred to above. Moreover, the shock waves will cover a path across the region of combustion several times since longer paths mean greater possibilities for forming of trans-lation and dissociation terms and, thus, a more effective or im-proved ionization.
An MHD power system suit3ble for carrying out the above specified method may comprise a combustor in the form of an acoustic cavity resonator to burn fuel with an oxidant. The combustor has a fuel supply inlet which may have fuel supply means connected to it.
An explosive supply inlet in the combustor is connected with an explosive supply means. Explosion in the combustor is brought about by explosion initiating means connected with an explosion initiat-ing inlet in the combustor. Combustion ~ 88608 products withdraw from the combustor through a combustion product outlet Gonnectable to an MHD generator. Further_ more, the combustor is provided with feeler means having a slgnal output. ~he feeler means serves for feeling one or more parameters of the combustion whioh takes place in the combustor. Dependent on felt values the feeler means develops signals;which are received.by a control signal input of a control uni.t. The control unit controls the ~ operation of various parts of the MHD power system in a well defined :sequence. More particularly, the fuel suppl~.means, the explosive supply means and the explosion initiating means are operated in such manner that, first, a.predetermined amount of fuel i8 com~pletely burnt where-after a relatively'small amount of explosive is supplied and initiated~ For such purpose? the signaloutput of the feeler means.is connected to the control slgnal input of~the control unit. ::~
; Préferably, the waLls of'the cayity resona~or àre . represented by paraboloi~ds which faae each other~ ~ith ~ their coneave sides and:cause shock waves to travel ~:
repeatedly aoross:the combustion chamber:of the aombustor.
his..means a~ inoreased length of travel a~d, thereby,~ a .: moro vigorou~:formlng of translation.and dissociation : . terms with a aonsequent improvement~of ionization.
;'25 . Mo.reover, such paraboloidic walls ma~ ha~e different ~ocal ~: dista~nes~. Thsn, the pa~raboloid wall:of smsller fooal : ~ . dlstance will lie oppo8ite to the~combustion products outlot of the. ¢ombustor. .8uch arrangement permits that- .
'. . tho point of intersection of the longitudinal conter:line ~0 of the combustor with the longitudinal~centor line of~
~the explosive ~supply inlet be pro~eoted into the ¢ombustion ~.
produot~ outlet of the combustor. ~hereby, shoo~ WBVeB ma~
.
1(~8860~
withdraw from the cavity resonator without suffering noticeable damping.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DR~WINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a simple MHD power system embodying the p~esent invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main con-structional parts of an exemplified embodiment of the MHD power system shown in Figure l.
Same reference characters refer to similar details in both figures and throughout the specification and claims.
Referring to Figure l, reference numerals 10 and 12 designate a combustor with a combustion chamber 10a and an MHD generator, respect- ;
ively.
The combustor 10 has a fuel supply inlet 14 which has a fuel supply means 16 such as fuel pump, carburetter, etc. connected to it by means of a conduit 18. Furthermore, the combustor lO has an ex-plosive supply inlet 20 which is connected through a conduit 22 to an explosive supply means 24, e.g. likewise a pump as in case of the fuel supply means 16. A third orifice 28 in the combustor 10 is closed by a transparent cover 26 and serves as an explosion initiating inlet 28.
lgnition of the fuel may be brought about e.g. by a plasma -burner, ignition globe, spark plug or the like. Preferably, however, a pulsed laser 30 will be employed since it is suitable to initiate an explosion of the explosive supplied through explosive supply inlet 20 as well. Namely, it has been recognized that laser beams are capable of initiating explosion of liquid and solid explosives since such initiation requires 0.1 to 10 calories Joule heat and a power of 0.1 to 10 megawatts, and laser beams readily meet such requirements. Their : ,-, . .
use as exploder is particularly ad~antageous in the instant case because of the high accuracy as to the moment of initiating.
Reference numeral 32 designates a feeler within the combustor lO. Feeler 32 is pro~ided for feeling at least one parameter of com-1~886~B
bustion and or developing an electric signal dependent on such parameter.
A signal output of feeler 32 is referred to by reference numeral 32a. -The combustor lO is also provided with a combustion products outlet 34 for exhausting such products from the combustor 10 into the MHD generator 12.
Reference numeral 36 designates a control unit with a control signal input 36a and a pair of control signal outputs 36b and 36c. The control signal input 36a is connected with the signal output 32a of the combustion parameter feeler means 32 through path 38 while control signal outputs 36b and 36c of the control unit 36 are connected to the fuel supply means 16 and the explosive supply means 24 via paths 40 and 42, respectively.
Explosive supply means 24 is in operational connection with laser 30 through path 44.
It will be seen that, in the instant case, on the one hand, laser 30, explosion initiating inlet 28 and combustion products outlet 34 lie along a same axial center line A-A. In a similar manner, ex- ~ -plosive supply inlet 20 lies along a center line B-B which is transverse of center line A-A. Such mutual arrangement of center lines A-A and B-B
results in a readily distinguishable point of intersection the sig-nificance of which will be apparent hereinafter.
Furthermore, likewise in the instant case, combustion chamber lOa is confined by mutually opposite paraboloidal walls 46 and 48.
Moreover, with the represented embodiment, the paraboloid walls 46 and 48 have diferent focal distances fl and f2 marked by focal points Fl and F2, respectively, the paraboloidal wall 46 of smaller focal distance fl lying opposite to the outlet 34. While mutually opposite paraboloidal walls 46 and 48 are particularly suitable to focus rays reflected by them, selecting different focal distances fl and f2 in the described manner permits to project the image of the point of intersection of axial lines A-A and B-B into the combustion products outlet 34 ~as shown in Figure 2) the significance of which has already been pointed out.
1~886~18 The MHD generator 12 is of a ~ se known construction. It com-prises a Laval nozzle 50 a difusor portion of which carries a magnetic lens system 52. Electrodes 54a and 54b isolated from Laval nozzle 50 lie in an electric circuit 56 comprising magnet coils 58 and 60 of the mag-netic lens system 52, and a load 58.
Constructional details of the new MHD power system are portrayed ;
in Figure 2. The combustor lO comprises a pair of half casings 64 and 66 which enclose the combustion chamber lOa described above. Hole 68 serves for receiving a feeler 32 mentioned in connection with Figure l. Explosive inlet 20 has a duplicate in the form of a hole 70 the provision of which may be justified e._. by reasons of easier mounting. Unemployed inlets or holes are closed e.g. by not ropresented plugs.
Reference numerals 72 and 74 designate screws by which half casings 64 and 66 are fixed in their mutual operative positions.
The M~D generator 12 is fixed to the combustor 10 by a threaded connection referr~d to by reference numeral 76. The electrodes 54a and 54b are electrically separated from the metallic body o the MHD generator by insulator 78.
In operation, fuel supply means 16 ~Figure 1) delivers fuel, e.~. petrol, Diesel oil or coal dust through conduit 18 into the combustion chamber lOa of combustor 10. Amount and moment of fuel delivery are con-trolled by control unit 36. Seeding the working fluid may be carried out by admixing an alkali metal such as cesium or potassium to the fuel prior to or during its delivery. Oxygen or oxygen carriers such as air may be added too.
The fuel supplied into the combustion chamber lOa will be ignited by the pulsed laser 30 in a maM er known ~ se and completely combusted.
After complete combustion has taken place and a corresponding signal has been given by feeler 32 to control unit 36, the latter triggers the explosive supply means 24 which delivers a predetermined amount of explosive through inlet 20 between focal points Fl and F2. At that moment the pulsed laser 30 which now works as an exploder sends a laser beam to the explosive in the -~: . . . .
108861~3 combustion chamber lOa whereby oxplosion is initiated.
The exploslon in the combustion chamber lOa entails a shock wave in the combustion products which travels several times between the parab-oloidal walls 46 and 48, as shown in Figure 2 by broken lines, thereby causing strong ionization of the combustion products before they are ex-hausted through the combustion products outlet 34 into the Laval nozzle 50.
The ionized combustion products withdraw rom the combustion chamber lOa at very high flow velocities and pass through a transverse magnetic field generated by the magnetic lens system 52. By that transverse magnetic field the ionized combustion products impinge on the electrodes 54a and 54b between which they create a voltage difference. Thus, a corresponding current will flow in the electric circuit 56 and operate the load 62.
The control unit 36 ensures that the above described operational process will periodically be repeated which results in a sort of ripple current in the electric circuit 56.
It will be apparent that the invention permits to build MHD
generators which show a combination of all advantageous features of prior devices and methods without their drawbacks: cheap fuels may be employed and completely combusted. An overwhelming portion of useful heat energy is released from ~uch cheap combustibles. At the same time, shock waves may be generated for ionizing, accelerating and focussing combustion products by means of small amounts of explosives and, thus, at relatively low expenses. ~he partial processes of energy transformation follow one another in co-ordinated sequence which means ldeal operational circumstances and, thereby, attainment of high efficiencies in the range of 30 to 40 % as shown by calculations.
:
1(~8~6~
by Ernest H. Jager and Franz R. Thomanek in their article "Untersuchungen uber sprengstoffbetriebene MHD-Generatoren" in Vol. 25 1974 Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics (ZAMP) pp. 47 to 54. However, explosives are relatively expensive for being used as fuels. ~oreover, explosion time periods are too short for the explosive being thoroughly combusted whereby energy transformation is rendered incomplete with inevitable energy losses and low efficiency. Thus, the use of explosive fired MHD generators is, at present, economically unjustified.
The present invention is thought to be an improvement over such systems in that the principle of increasing ionization by means of shock waves is employed in connection with conven-tional and, thus, low cost fuels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of generating electric energy magnetohydro-dynamically comprising the steps: combusting a fuel material in a combustion chamber; generating shock waves at the termination of the combustion of said fuel material in the combustion products thereof; directing said shock waves within said combustion chamber and guiding them several times through said combustion products by reflecting them; and supplying said combustion products ionized several times by said shock waves into an MHD-generator.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an MHD power system comprising an MHD generator;
a combustion chamber in the form of a cavity resonator to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generators; a fuel supply inlet in said combustion chamber; fuel supply means connected to said fuel supply inlet; an explosive 1~886~8 supply inlet in said combustion chamber; explosive supply means connected to said explosive supply inlet; and explosion initiating inlet in said combustion chamber; explosion initiating means connected to said explosion initiating inlet; an outlet in said combustion chamber for exhausting said combustion pro-ducts to said generator; sensing means with a signal output in said combustion chamber for sensing at least one combustion parameter therein, a control unit with a control signal input for operating said fuel supply means, said explosive supply means and said explosion initiating means; said signal output of said sensing being connected to said control signal input of said unit.
The invention relates to an improved combustion fired MHD power system in which shock waves are applied to combustion products resulting from combustion of conventional fuels.
According to the present invention, in a method of generating electric energy magnetohydro-dynamically in a combustion fired MHD power system, first a conventional fuel is combusted to combustion products, then, with combustion substantially ter-2a minated shock waves are generated in such combustion productsso as to ioniæe them. Eventually, the ionized combustion products are exhausted by theirproper pressure and the shock waves.
The main advantage of the new MHD power system consists in permitting the use conventional fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas, carbon monoxide, char etc. since such fuels are relatively inexpensive and plentiful, and provide - 3a -.~
1(~886~
good possibilities for MHD power systems that are economical. More-over, such fuels are permitted to burn completely prior to their being supplied to an MHD generator. Thus, in contrast to explosive fired MHD generators, no energy losses due to incomplete combustion will occur. It has been recognized that such combustion products may be strongly ionized by generating shork waves in them when com-bustion has substantially been terminated and that by means of using surprisingly small amounts of explosives which means a likewise low cost of explosive consumption. Furthermore, relatively slow com-bustion permits a reliable synchronisation of fuel supply, ignition combustion, shock wave generation, combustion gases exhaust and cycle repetitions. Thus, a relatively high efficiency may be obtained as proved by calculations which permit an estimate of 30 to 40 %.
Such figures are due to shock waves directional and, being directed so that they greatly enhance the forming of translation and dis-sociation terms as has been referred to above. Moreover, the shock waves will cover a path across the region of combustion several times since longer paths mean greater possibilities for forming of trans-lation and dissociation terms and, thus, a more effective or im-proved ionization.
An MHD power system suit3ble for carrying out the above specified method may comprise a combustor in the form of an acoustic cavity resonator to burn fuel with an oxidant. The combustor has a fuel supply inlet which may have fuel supply means connected to it.
An explosive supply inlet in the combustor is connected with an explosive supply means. Explosion in the combustor is brought about by explosion initiating means connected with an explosion initiat-ing inlet in the combustor. Combustion ~ 88608 products withdraw from the combustor through a combustion product outlet Gonnectable to an MHD generator. Further_ more, the combustor is provided with feeler means having a slgnal output. ~he feeler means serves for feeling one or more parameters of the combustion whioh takes place in the combustor. Dependent on felt values the feeler means develops signals;which are received.by a control signal input of a control uni.t. The control unit controls the ~ operation of various parts of the MHD power system in a well defined :sequence. More particularly, the fuel suppl~.means, the explosive supply means and the explosion initiating means are operated in such manner that, first, a.predetermined amount of fuel i8 com~pletely burnt where-after a relatively'small amount of explosive is supplied and initiated~ For such purpose? the signaloutput of the feeler means.is connected to the control slgnal input of~the control unit. ::~
; Préferably, the waLls of'the cayity resona~or àre . represented by paraboloi~ds which faae each other~ ~ith ~ their coneave sides and:cause shock waves to travel ~:
repeatedly aoross:the combustion chamber:of the aombustor.
his..means a~ inoreased length of travel a~d, thereby,~ a .: moro vigorou~:formlng of translation.and dissociation : . terms with a aonsequent improvement~of ionization.
;'25 . Mo.reover, such paraboloidic walls ma~ ha~e different ~ocal ~: dista~nes~. Thsn, the pa~raboloid wall:of smsller fooal : ~ . dlstance will lie oppo8ite to the~combustion products outlot of the. ¢ombustor. .8uch arrangement permits that- .
'. . tho point of intersection of the longitudinal conter:line ~0 of the combustor with the longitudinal~centor line of~
~the explosive ~supply inlet be pro~eoted into the ¢ombustion ~.
produot~ outlet of the combustor. ~hereby, shoo~ WBVeB ma~
.
1(~8860~
withdraw from the cavity resonator without suffering noticeable damping.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DR~WINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a simple MHD power system embodying the p~esent invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main con-structional parts of an exemplified embodiment of the MHD power system shown in Figure l.
Same reference characters refer to similar details in both figures and throughout the specification and claims.
Referring to Figure l, reference numerals 10 and 12 designate a combustor with a combustion chamber 10a and an MHD generator, respect- ;
ively.
The combustor 10 has a fuel supply inlet 14 which has a fuel supply means 16 such as fuel pump, carburetter, etc. connected to it by means of a conduit 18. Furthermore, the combustor lO has an ex-plosive supply inlet 20 which is connected through a conduit 22 to an explosive supply means 24, e.g. likewise a pump as in case of the fuel supply means 16. A third orifice 28 in the combustor 10 is closed by a transparent cover 26 and serves as an explosion initiating inlet 28.
lgnition of the fuel may be brought about e.g. by a plasma -burner, ignition globe, spark plug or the like. Preferably, however, a pulsed laser 30 will be employed since it is suitable to initiate an explosion of the explosive supplied through explosive supply inlet 20 as well. Namely, it has been recognized that laser beams are capable of initiating explosion of liquid and solid explosives since such initiation requires 0.1 to 10 calories Joule heat and a power of 0.1 to 10 megawatts, and laser beams readily meet such requirements. Their : ,-, . .
use as exploder is particularly ad~antageous in the instant case because of the high accuracy as to the moment of initiating.
Reference numeral 32 designates a feeler within the combustor lO. Feeler 32 is pro~ided for feeling at least one parameter of com-1~886~B
bustion and or developing an electric signal dependent on such parameter.
A signal output of feeler 32 is referred to by reference numeral 32a. -The combustor lO is also provided with a combustion products outlet 34 for exhausting such products from the combustor 10 into the MHD generator 12.
Reference numeral 36 designates a control unit with a control signal input 36a and a pair of control signal outputs 36b and 36c. The control signal input 36a is connected with the signal output 32a of the combustion parameter feeler means 32 through path 38 while control signal outputs 36b and 36c of the control unit 36 are connected to the fuel supply means 16 and the explosive supply means 24 via paths 40 and 42, respectively.
Explosive supply means 24 is in operational connection with laser 30 through path 44.
It will be seen that, in the instant case, on the one hand, laser 30, explosion initiating inlet 28 and combustion products outlet 34 lie along a same axial center line A-A. In a similar manner, ex- ~ -plosive supply inlet 20 lies along a center line B-B which is transverse of center line A-A. Such mutual arrangement of center lines A-A and B-B
results in a readily distinguishable point of intersection the sig-nificance of which will be apparent hereinafter.
Furthermore, likewise in the instant case, combustion chamber lOa is confined by mutually opposite paraboloidal walls 46 and 48.
Moreover, with the represented embodiment, the paraboloid walls 46 and 48 have diferent focal distances fl and f2 marked by focal points Fl and F2, respectively, the paraboloidal wall 46 of smaller focal distance fl lying opposite to the outlet 34. While mutually opposite paraboloidal walls 46 and 48 are particularly suitable to focus rays reflected by them, selecting different focal distances fl and f2 in the described manner permits to project the image of the point of intersection of axial lines A-A and B-B into the combustion products outlet 34 ~as shown in Figure 2) the significance of which has already been pointed out.
1~886~18 The MHD generator 12 is of a ~ se known construction. It com-prises a Laval nozzle 50 a difusor portion of which carries a magnetic lens system 52. Electrodes 54a and 54b isolated from Laval nozzle 50 lie in an electric circuit 56 comprising magnet coils 58 and 60 of the mag-netic lens system 52, and a load 58.
Constructional details of the new MHD power system are portrayed ;
in Figure 2. The combustor lO comprises a pair of half casings 64 and 66 which enclose the combustion chamber lOa described above. Hole 68 serves for receiving a feeler 32 mentioned in connection with Figure l. Explosive inlet 20 has a duplicate in the form of a hole 70 the provision of which may be justified e._. by reasons of easier mounting. Unemployed inlets or holes are closed e.g. by not ropresented plugs.
Reference numerals 72 and 74 designate screws by which half casings 64 and 66 are fixed in their mutual operative positions.
The M~D generator 12 is fixed to the combustor 10 by a threaded connection referr~d to by reference numeral 76. The electrodes 54a and 54b are electrically separated from the metallic body o the MHD generator by insulator 78.
In operation, fuel supply means 16 ~Figure 1) delivers fuel, e.~. petrol, Diesel oil or coal dust through conduit 18 into the combustion chamber lOa of combustor 10. Amount and moment of fuel delivery are con-trolled by control unit 36. Seeding the working fluid may be carried out by admixing an alkali metal such as cesium or potassium to the fuel prior to or during its delivery. Oxygen or oxygen carriers such as air may be added too.
The fuel supplied into the combustion chamber lOa will be ignited by the pulsed laser 30 in a maM er known ~ se and completely combusted.
After complete combustion has taken place and a corresponding signal has been given by feeler 32 to control unit 36, the latter triggers the explosive supply means 24 which delivers a predetermined amount of explosive through inlet 20 between focal points Fl and F2. At that moment the pulsed laser 30 which now works as an exploder sends a laser beam to the explosive in the -~: . . . .
108861~3 combustion chamber lOa whereby oxplosion is initiated.
The exploslon in the combustion chamber lOa entails a shock wave in the combustion products which travels several times between the parab-oloidal walls 46 and 48, as shown in Figure 2 by broken lines, thereby causing strong ionization of the combustion products before they are ex-hausted through the combustion products outlet 34 into the Laval nozzle 50.
The ionized combustion products withdraw rom the combustion chamber lOa at very high flow velocities and pass through a transverse magnetic field generated by the magnetic lens system 52. By that transverse magnetic field the ionized combustion products impinge on the electrodes 54a and 54b between which they create a voltage difference. Thus, a corresponding current will flow in the electric circuit 56 and operate the load 62.
The control unit 36 ensures that the above described operational process will periodically be repeated which results in a sort of ripple current in the electric circuit 56.
It will be apparent that the invention permits to build MHD
generators which show a combination of all advantageous features of prior devices and methods without their drawbacks: cheap fuels may be employed and completely combusted. An overwhelming portion of useful heat energy is released from ~uch cheap combustibles. At the same time, shock waves may be generated for ionizing, accelerating and focussing combustion products by means of small amounts of explosives and, thus, at relatively low expenses. ~he partial processes of energy transformation follow one another in co-ordinated sequence which means ldeal operational circumstances and, thereby, attainment of high efficiencies in the range of 30 to 40 % as shown by calculations.
Claims (8)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method of generating electric energy magnetohydro-dynamically comprising the steps: a) combusting a fuel material in a combustion chamber; b) generating shock waves at the termin-ation of the combustion of said fuel material in the combustion products thereof; c) directing said shock waves within said com-bustion chamber and guiding them several times through said com-bustion products by reflecting them; and d) supplying said com-bustion products ionized several times by said shock waves into an MHD-generator.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, and introducing said combustion products into the MHD-generator by means of the several times reflected shock waves.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which said shock waves are generated by igniting an explosive introduced into said combustion products at the termination of the combustion of said fuel material.
4. A method as claimed in Claim 3, and igniting said explosive by means of a laser beam.
5. A method as claimed in any of Claims 2, 3 or 4, and repeating periodically the previous steps.
6. An MHD power system comprising an MHD generator; a combustion chamber in the form of a cavity resonator to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generator; a fuel supply inlet in said combustion chamber; fuel supply means connected to said fuel supply inlet; an explosive supply inlet in said combustion chamber; explosive supply means connection to said explosive supply inlet; an explosion initiating inlet in said combustion chamber; explosion initiating means connected to said explosion initiating inlet; an outlet in said combustion chamber for exhausting said combustion products to said generator; sensing means with a signal output in said combustion chamber for sensing at least one combustion parameter therein, a control unit with a control signal input for operating said fuel supply means, said explosive supply means and said explosion initiating means; said signal output of said sensing being connected to said control signal input of said control unit.
7. An MHD power system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said cavity resonator is confined by mutually opposite paraboloidal walls.
8. An MHD-generator as claimed in Claim 7 wherein: said paraboloidal walls have different focal distances, the para-boloidal wall of smaller focal distance lies opposite to said outlet in said combustion chamber for exhausting said combustion products to said generator and the two walls co-operating with one another cause all shock waves to arrive eventually in said outlet of said combustion chamber.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA275,273A CA1088608A (en) | 1977-03-31 | 1977-03-31 | Magnetohydrodynamic power systems with combustor for generating shock waves in combustion products |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA275,273A CA1088608A (en) | 1977-03-31 | 1977-03-31 | Magnetohydrodynamic power systems with combustor for generating shock waves in combustion products |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1088608A true CA1088608A (en) | 1980-10-28 |
Family
ID=4108290
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA275,273A Expired CA1088608A (en) | 1977-03-31 | 1977-03-31 | Magnetohydrodynamic power systems with combustor for generating shock waves in combustion products |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1088608A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106908482A (en) * | 2017-04-19 | 2017-06-30 | 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 | One kind improves powder burning product conductive characteristic device and its Conductivity Calculation method |
-
1977
- 1977-03-31 CA CA275,273A patent/CA1088608A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106908482A (en) * | 2017-04-19 | 2017-06-30 | 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 | One kind improves powder burning product conductive characteristic device and its Conductivity Calculation method |
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