GB1129904A - Improvements in or relating to magnetohydrodynamic electrical power generators - Google Patents

Abstract

1,129,904. Generators operating by electromagnetic interaction of fluids. CENTRAL ELECTRICITY GENERATING BOARD. 5 July, 1966 [4 Aug., 1965], No. 33416/65. Heading H2A. In an MHD generator seeded hot gases are passed through a generating duct across which extends a magnetic field and having electrodes across which an output voltage is developed, and means are provided for applying an electric field to the seeded gases before or as they enter the power generating portion of the duct, the field having a magnitude sufficient to give ionization greatly in excess of the thermal equilibrium value. As shown, fuel (e.g. oil) and air are fed at 10 and 11, respectively, into a combustion chamber 12. The hot combustion gases are passed through a convergent-divergent accelerating nozzle 13 to increase velocity and reduce pressure below atmospheric before duct 14. Seed material (e.g. a potassium compound) is injected at 15. The electric field is applied as a direct potential from rectifier 25 to ionizing electrodes 26. The power generated in duct 14 is extracted by electrodes 17 and fed through inverter 18 and transformer 19 to an output circuit- 20 and to the rectifier. The applied electric ionizing field may partly overlap the magnetic field (shown shaded at 16) across the duct. Downstream from the duct the gases are passed through a convergent-divergent nozzle 21 and thence to an exhaust compressor 22. Much lower exit temperatures from the duct than previously are possible. The electric ionizing field may be A.C.