Magnetohydro Dynamics (MHD)Introduction > Magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) (magneto fluid dynamics or hydro magnetics) is the academic discipline which studies the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids. » Examples of such fluids include plasmas, liquid metals, and salt water. The word magneto hydro dynamics (MHD) is derived from magneto- meaning magnetic field, and hydro- meaning liquid, and - dynamics meaning movement. » The field of MHD was initiated by Hannes Alfvén, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1970. Hannes AlfvénMHD generators MHD generators (MHD electrical power generators) are devices in which, according to the magneto hydrodynamics laws, a conversion of the energy of working fluid into electrical energy takes place. Magneto hydrodynamic power generation provides a way of generating electricity directly from a fast moving stream of ionised gases without the need for any moving mechanical parts - no turbines and no rotary generators. The principle of operation of MHD generators as well as conventional electrical generators is based on Faraday's induction law. MHD power generation is a new system of electric power generation which is said to be of high efficiency and low pollution. In advanced countries MHD generators are widely used but in developing countries like INDIA, it is still under construction, this construction work is in progress at TRICHI in TAMIL NADU, under the joint efforts of BARC (Bhabha atomic research center), Associated cement corporation (ACC) and Russian technologists.Introduction MHD generator is a device for converting heat energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy without conventional electric generator. In this system, MHD converter system is a heat engine in which heat taken up at a higher temperature is partly converted into useful work and the remainder is rejected at a temperature. Like all heat engines, the thermal efficiency of a MHD converter is increased by supplying the heat at the highest practical temperature and rejecting it at the lowest practical temperature. The output of the MHD is supplied to the conventional Thermal Plants.Working principle : * The MHD generator can be considered to be a fluid dynamo. This is similar to a mechanical dynamo in which the motion of a metal conductor through a magnetic field creates a current in the conductor except that in the MHD generator the metal conductor is replaced by conducting gas plasma. * When a conductor moves through a magnetic field it creates an electrical field perpendicular to the magnetic field and the direction of movement of the conductor. This is the principle, discovered by Michael Faraday, behind the conventional rotary electricity generator. Dutch physicist Antoon Lorentz provided the mathematical theory to quantify its effects.PRINCIPLES OF MHD POWER GENERATION + When an electric conductor moves across a magnetic field, a voltage is induced in it which produces an electric current. * This is the principle of the conventional generator where the conductors consist of copper strips. + In MHD generator, the solid conductors are replaced by a gaseous conductor, an ionized gas. If such a gas is passed at a high velocity through a powerful magnetic field, a current is generated and can be extracted by placing electrodes in suitable position in the stream. * The principle can be explained as follows. An electric conductor moving through a magnetic field experiences a retarding force as well as an induced electric field and current.0C Voltage Ouput EMF — Induced Votage > (Bectre Curent) ae tented Ges ston of Conductor gun (Pasa Curent) Magnete Fits ‘Magnetohydrodynamic Power Generation (Principle) The flow (motion) of the conducting plasma through a magnetic field causes a voltage to be ‘generated (and an associated current to flow) across the plasma . perpendicular to both the plasma flow and the magnetic field according to Fleming's Right Hand Rule. Lorentz Law describing the effects of a charged particle moving in a constant magnetic field can be stated asF=QvB where F is the force acting on the charged particle Qis charge of particle vis velocity of particle Bis magnetic field.‘The expansion nozzle reduces the gas pressure and consequently increases the plasma speed (Bemoulli's Law) through the generator duct to increase the power output (See Power below) Unfortunately, at the same time. the pressure drop causes the plasma temperature to fall (Gay-Lussae’s) must be found. ‘The Plasma The prime system requirement is creating and managing the conducting gas plasma since the system depends on the plasma having a high electrical conductivity. Suitable working fluids are gases derived from combustion, noble gases, and alkali metal vapours. Faraday Current A powerful electromagnet provides the magnetic field through which the plasma flows, and perpendicular to this field are installed the two electrodes on opposite sides of the plasma across which the electrical output voltage is generated. The current flowing across the plasma between these electrodes is called the Faraday current. This provides the main electrical output of the MHD generator. ‘The Hall Effect Current ‘The very high Faraday output current which flows across the plasma duct into the load itself reacts with the applied magnetic field creatine a Hall Effect current vervendicular to the Faraday current, in other words, a current along the axis of the plasma, resulting in lost energy. The total current generated will be the vector sum of the transverse (Faraday) and axial (Hall effect) current components. Unless it can be captured in some way, the Hall effect current will constitute an energy loss . components of the current in order to improve the overall MHD conversion efficiency.The Hall effect * The Hall effect, named after physicist Edwin Hall who discovered the phenomenon in 1879, occurs when a conductor carrying current is placed perpendicular to a magnetic field, generating a voltage difference across the conductor. This voltage is known as the Hall voltage. * In the absence of an external magnetic field, charges within the current will flow in a straight line through the conductor. However, in the presence of a magnetic field, the charges flow is curved by a force. This force is called the Lorentz force. The potential difference created by these curved charges is the Hall voltage.The Hall Effect‘One such method is to split the electrode pair into a series of segments physically side by side (parallel) but insulated from each other, with the segmented electrode pairs connected in series to achieve a higher voltage but with a lower current. Instead of the electrodes being directly opposite each other, perpendicular to the plasma stream, they are skewed at a slight angle from perpendicular to be in line with the vector sum of the Farada below, thus allowing the maximum ener; y and Hall effect currents, as shown in the diagram to be extracted from the plasma Power Output The output power is proportional to the cross sectional area and the flow rate of the ionised plasma, The conductive substance is also cooled and slowed in this process, MHD generators typically reduce the temperature of the conductive substance from plasma temperatures to just over 1000 °C. Efficiency ‘Typical efficiencies of MHD generators are around 10 to 20 percent mainly due to the heat lost through the high temperature exhaust. This limits the MHD's potential applications as a stand alone device but they were originally designed to be used in combination with other energy converters in hybrid applications where the output gases (flames) are possible in such arrangements“Faraday’s Laws of Electromagnetic Induction : * Earaday's first law of electromagnetic induction states a changing magnetic field induces an electromotive force (EMF) in a nearby conductor. do € = dt * Faraday's second law of electromagnetic induction states 1 that the magnitude of the electromotive force (EME) induced in a circuit is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux through the circuit, :Lenz’s Law The induced B field in a loop of wire will oppose the change in magnetic flux through the loop. If you try to increase the flux If you try to decrease the flux through a loop, the induced through a loop, the induced field will oppose that increase! field will replace that decrease! ~—— = SS Sy Bisdicss BindueeaPRINCIPLES OF MHD POWER GENERATION * The electro magnetic induction principle is not limited to solid conductors. The movement of a conducting fluid through a magnetic field can also generate electrical energy. * When a fluid is used for the energy conversion technique, it is called MAGNETO HYDRO DYNAMIC (MHD), energy conversion. * The flow direction is right angles to the magnetic fields * direction. An electromotive force (or electric voltage) is induced in the direction at right angles to both flow and field directions, as shown in the next slide.PRINCIPLES OF MHD POWER GENERATION * The conducting flow fluid is forced between the plates with a kinetic energy and pressure differential sufficient to over come the magnetic induction force Find. * The end view drawing illustrates the construction of the flow channel. + Anionized gas is employed as the conducting fluid. * lonization is produced either by thermal means l.e. by an elevated temperature or by seeding with substance like cesium or potassium vapors which ionizes at relatively low temperatures. * The atoms of seed element split off electrons. The presence of the negatively charged electrons makes the gas an electrical conductor.Various MHD System * The MHD systems are broadly classified into two types. — OPEN CYCLE SYSTEM — CLOSED CYCLE SYSTEMOPEN CYCLE SYSTEM The fuel used maybe oil through an oil tank or gasified coal through a coal gasification plant The fuel (coal, oil or natural gas) is burnt in the combustor or combustion chamber. The hot gases from combustor is then seeded with a small amount of ionized alkali metal (cesium or potassium) to increase the electrical conductivity of the gas. The seed material, generally potassium carbonate is injected into the combustion chamber, the potassium is then ionized by the hot combustion gases at temperature of roughly 2300°c to 2700°c.OPEN CYCLE SYSTEM SEED RECOVERY COAL — COMBUSTER PROCESSOR Air PURIFIER Preheater —VITROGEN,SULPHUR EXPANSION NOZZLE CompressorOPEN CYCLE SYSTEM To attain such high temperatures, the compressed air is used to burn the coal in the combustion chamber, must be adequate to at least 1100'c. A lower preheat temperature would be adequate if the air is enriched in oxygen. An alternative is used to compress oxygen alone for combustion of fuel, little or no preheating is then required. The additional cost of oxygen might be balanced by saving on the preheater. The hot pressurized working fluid living in the combustor flows through a convergent divergent nozzle. In passing through the nozzle, the random motion energy of the molecules in the hot gas is largely converted into directed, mass of energy. Thus , the gas emerges from the nozzle and enters the MHD generator unit ata high velocity. The MHD generator is a divergent channel made of a heat resistant alloy with external water cooling. The hot gas expands through the rocket like generator surrounded by powerful magnet. During motion of the gas the +ve and —ve ions move to the electrodes and constitute an electric current. The arrangement of the electrode connection is determined by the need to reduce the losses arising from the Hall effect. By this effect, the magnetic field acts on the MHD-generated current and produces a voltage in flow direction of the working fluid.CLOSED CYCLE SYSTEM Two general types of closed cycle MHD generators are being investigated. Electrical conductivity is maintained in the working fluid by ionization of a seeded material, as in open cycle system. A liquid metal provides the conductivity. The carrier is usually a chemical inert gas, all through a liquid carrier is been used with a liquid metal conductor. The working fluid is circulated in a closed loop and is heated by the combustion gases using a heat exchanger. Hence the heat sources and the working fluid are independent. The working fluid is helium or argon with cesium seeding.CLOSED MHD SYSTEM AC POWER STACK COAL — COMBUSTER SEED PROCESSOR | RECOVERY EXPANSION AR NOZZLE PURIFIER PREHEATER — NITROGEN,SULPHUR TURBINE COMPRESSOR AND INTERCOOLER WORKING FLUID=ARGONv vvVVV v Performance of MHD plants The conversion efficiency of a MHD system can be around 50% much higher compared to the most efficient steam plants. Still higher efficiencies are expected in future, around 60 ~ 65 %, with the improvements in experience and technology. It has no moving parts, so more reliable. Large amount of power is generated The closed cycle system produces power, free of pollution. It has ability to reach the full power level as soon as started. The size of the plant is considerably smaller than conventional fossil fuel plants. Although the costs can not be predicted very accurately, yet it has been reported that capital costs of MHD plants will be competitive with those of conventional steam plants. It has been estimated that the overall operational, costs in an MHD plant would be about 20% less than in conventional steam plants. Direct conversion of heat into electricity permits to eliminate the gas turbine {compared with a gas turbine power plant) or both the boiler and the turbine {compared with a steam power plant). This elimination reduces losses of energy. These systems permit better fuel utilization. The reduced fuel consumption would offer additional economic and special benefits and would also lead to conservation of energy resources. It is possible to utilize MHD for peak power generations and emergency service (upto 100 hours per year). It has been estimated the MHD equipment for such duties is simpler, has the capability of generating in large units and has the ability to make rapid start to full load.Applications of Magnetoydrodynamics 1. Power Generati > High-efficiency power plants: MHD generators can be incorporated into power plants to increase overall efficiency, particularly when coupled with conventional power generation methods. > Space power systems: They are considered for use in space, especially n systems requiring high power output and where weight > Peak power and emergency power: MHD can be utilized for generating power during peak demand or for emergency situations. 2. Propulsion Systems: > Submarines and ships: MHD propulsion systems offer the potential for silent, efficlent propulsion for submarines and ships. > Spacecraft: MHD propulsion can be used for spacecraft, especially for interplanetary travel, as it offers the potential for high thrust and efficiency. Hypersonic vehicles: MHD can be used to accelerate air in hypersonic wind tunnels for research and development. 3. Other Applications: > Industrial processes: MHD can be used to pump and stir liquid metals in industrial processes, offering advantages over conventional pumps and stirers. > Defense applications: MHD technology has potential applications in various defense systems. Flow control: MHD can be used to control the flow of fluids, particularly in situations where traditional methods are not suitable. vLimitation of MHD plants High operating temperature. Needs very large (super conducting) magnets and this is a major expense. Numerous technological advancement requires prior to its commercialisation. It requires highly corrosive and abrasive environment. MHD channels operates under extream condition of temperature.