MHD Power Generation

INTRODUCTION

It is well known that man had always been trying to fined something new to

achieve a new aims 80% of total electricity produced in the world is hydral while remaining 20% is

produced from nuclear, thermal, solar, Geothermal energy and from magneto hydro dynamic power

generation.

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 generator are widely

used but in developing countries like India it is still under construction. This construction work is in

progress at Tiruchirapalli in Tamilnadu unders joint efforts of BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research

Centre), BHEL, Associated cement corporation and Russian technologists.

As its name implies, magneto-hydro-dynamic (MHD) is concerned with the

flow of conducting fluid in presence of magnetic and electric field. This fluid may be gas at elevated

temperature or liquid metal like sodium or potassium. A MHD generator is a device for converting heat

energy of fuel directly into electric energy without a conventional electric generator. The basic

difference between conventional generator and MHD generator is in the nature of conductor.
MHD Power Generation
PRINCIPLE OF MHD POWER GENERATION

The principle of MHD generation is simple, discovered by faraday when an

electric conductor moves across a magnetic field, a emf. Is induced in it, which produced an electric

current. This is the principle of the conventional generator also, where the conductors consists of

copper strips. In MHD generator the solid conductors are replaced by a gaseous conductor; i.e. an

ionized gas. If such gas is passed at high velocity through a powerful magnetic field, i.e. suppose we

have a charged particle (having charge q) moving at a high velocity ‘V’ towards right and a

perpendicular magnetic field is applied. A magnetic force ‘F’ acts on the charged particle. Show in

fig. A Positively charged particles as forced upward and negatively charged particle is forced

downward.

The positive ions would be accelerated towards the upper plate P, and

negative ions would be accelerated towards the plate P 2 . If the P 1 and P 2 are externally connected

through a resistance, a current would flow through the resistance. Thus gas energy directly converted

into electrical energy. This is the principle of MHD generator. A MHD conversion is known as direct
energy conversion because it produced electricity directly from heat source without the necessity of the

additional stage of steam generation as in a steam power plant.

MHD Power Generation

There are two types of MHD System

1.) Open cycle System

2.) Closed cycle System

In open cycle system the working fluid after generating electrical energy is

discharged to the atmosphere through a stack. In a closed cycle system the working fluid is recycled to

the heat sources and thus used again and again. The operation of MHD generator directly on

combustion products in an open cycle system. In open cycle system working fluid is air. In closed cycle

system helium or argon is used as the working fluid.

An elementary open cycle MHD system, is shown in fig. The MHD generator

resembles a rocket engine surrounded by a magnet the coal is burnt to produced hot gas. The hot gas is

then seeded with a small amount of an ionized alkali metal (cesium or potassium) to increase the

electrical conductivities of gas. The gas expand through the generator surrounded by powerful magnet.

During the motion of gas the positive and negative ions move to the electrodes and constitute an

electric current. The rejected gas passes through an air heater for preheating the inlet air. The seed

material is recovered for successive use. The nitrogen and sulphur are remove for pollution controlled

and then gasses are discharged to the atmosphere.

The above cycle is not suitable for commercial use. The exhaust gases of

MHD unit are still at a sufficiently hot temperature it is possible to use for additional power generation

in a steam turbine alternator unit. This is increase the efficiency of process. Such cycle is known as

hybrid MHD-steam plant cycle.

Figure shows hybrid MHD steam cycle, coal is processed and burnt in the

combustor at high temperature (2750 to 3000 °K) and pressure (7 to 15 at atmosphere). With

preheated air to form the plasma. The plasma is then seeded with small fraction (1%) of an alkali

metal (potassium) introduced usually as a carbonate powder or solution.

passed through the high magnetic field (5 to 7 teslas) of the MHD generator. Electrodes channel
provided electric contact between flow and external load. The power o/p is dc and it is necessary to use
to change it to ac before the power can be fed to an electric grid.

The gas coming out of MHD generator is still sufficiently hot and is used to raise steam,

which generates additional energy in a steam in a steam turbine alternator unit. A part of this steam is also used in

a steam turbine which driver a compressor for compressing air for the MHD cycle. The seed material is recovered

from the gas the harmful emissions (sulphur) are also removed from gas before it is discharged to atmosphere

through a stack. For efficient practical realization a MHD system must have following features: 1) Air

superheating arrangement to heat the gas to around 2500 °C so that the

electrical conductivity gas is increased.

increase, its conductivity.

4) A water cooled but electrically insulating expanding dust with long life electrodes.

5) A magnet capable of producing high magnetic flux density.

6) Seed recovery apparatus necessary for both environmental and economics