GB1146041A - Plant for the direct conversion of heat into electric energy - Google Patents

Abstract

1,146,041. MHD power plant. MOSKOVSKY ENERGETICHESKY INSTITUT. 22 March, 1966, No. 12502/66. Heading H2A. Plant for the direct conversion of heat into electrical energy comprises a combustion chamber whose outlet is connected to the inlet of an MHD generator whose exhaust gases are used to heat a high-temperature air heater having an outlet connected to the inlet of the combustion chamber to supply heated air thereto, and an air compressor supplying air to the inlet of the air heater, wherein there is provided a reactor heat exchanger having an inlet connected to the outlet of the MHD generator and another inlet connected to sources of steam and fuel, and having an outlet connected to the inlet of the combustion chamber to supply high-temperature products of an endothermic process of thermochemical treatment of the fuel and another outlet connected to the inlet of the high-temperature air heater. In the power plant shown in Fig. 2, in which a combustion chamber 1 supplies exhaust gases to an MHD generator 2, the exhaust gases pass by way of a combined heat exchanger and chemical reactor 3 and a heat exchanger 4 to a power-generating plant 6 preferably comprising a steam generator, a steam turbine and an electric generator. Finally, the exhaust gases pass through heat exchangers 7, 8 connected in parallel. Fuel, which may be natural gas, lignite, coal or mazut, is heated by the exhaust gases in the heat exchanger 8 and then passes to the combined heat exchanger and chemical reactor 3 where the fuel, together with steam, is heated by the exhaust gases to undergo an endothermic chemical reaction. The steam, which may be obtained in evaporative cooling of the combustion chamber 1 and the MHD generator 2, either reacts with the fuel during the reaction or, if the reaction is a hydrocarbon cracking process, gasifies any deposit of carbon or soot. Air for combustion is supplied by a compressor 5 via the heat exchangers 7, 4. The combined heat exchanger and chemical reactor 3 and the heat exchanger 4 may be connected in parallel instead of in series, and the power generating plant 6 and the heat exchangers 7, 8 may be omitted.