The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generation is a system that directly converts kinetic and thermal energy into electrical energy. The MHD generation can produce higher efficiency than conventional thermal power generation because it achieves additional efficiency by plasmaizing the exhaust gases from the existing thermal power generation system. However, the MHD generation requires high temperature of more than 2300 K to produce plasma and seed material to maintain high electrical conductivity. In this study, the method for improving plasma production rate in MHD generation and enhancing plasma conductivity according to type and proportion of seed material is analyzed. Fast electrons and electron temperature are used to improve plasma production. When using 5 keV fast electrons, the plasma production rate was improved by about 10 % compared to the conventional plasma production rate in MHD generation (V. S. Zakharov, 2007). When the electron temperature is increased by 10 times, the plasma production rate increases by about three times because the electron temperature increases, the difficulty of producing plasma decreases as the electron moves more actively. In addition, the temperature of combustion, oxygen ratio, etc. were checked as variables for increasing of electron temperature. As a result, the electron temperature and the combustion temperature have a proportional relationship, and are inversely proportional to the oxygen ratio. It uses potassium and cesium as seed because potassium and cesium have low ionization potential and even small amounts of seeding in the gas greatly improve the electrical conductivity of the gas. Therefore, plasma conductivity was checked by adjusting the ratio of seed material, and it was confirmed that the ratio increased up to a certain value but decreased afterwards. When the proportion of seed materials is increased by about 50 percent, plasma conductivity is twice as high. However, there is little difference in conductivity after 1000 seconds of seed injection. In this paper, to increase plasma conductivity and production rate, the analysis and research are based on fast electron of 10 keV, combustion temperature of 3000 K or higher, and seeding input of 1.5% or less.


Parameter Investigation and Analysis for Improving Plasma Production and Conductivity in the Mhd Generation

Division / Sponsors: 
Power Division & Nuclear Engineering Division (NED)

Power Conference
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/POWER/POWER2020/volume/83747

International Conference on Nuclear Engineering
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ICONE/ICONE2020/volume/83761

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