“Conventional are few non-conventional are still due reinovate the ideas to

bring something new”

By: Shreedhar
Tiwari
EN – 3rd Year
0814121021
MHD at a glance….
The Magneto hydrodynamic power generation technology (MHD ) is the

production of electrical power utilizing a high temperature conducting

plasma moving through an intense magnetic field.

In MHD Heat energy of fuel is directly converted into Electrical energy

without conventional electric generator

MHD power generation works on the faraday’s law

IT is a non- conventional way of producing Electrical energy which may

play an important role in the power industry in future to help the present

crisis of power.
 Contents:

Introduction

Principle

Various systems

Advantages

Future prospects

Applications

Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
Eighty percent 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 under 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.
In this system , an MHD converter system is a heat engine, in which heat taken up at high
temperature is partly converted into useful work and the reminded is rejected by the
temperature. like all engines , the thermal efficiency of MHD converter is increased by
supplying heat at high practical temperature and rejecting it at low practical temperature.
 PRINCIPLE OF MHD POWER GENERATION
When an electric conductor moves across a magnetic field; an emf is induced in it, which
produced an electric current. (faraday’s law)
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, a current is
generated and can extract by placing electrodes in a 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.
If ionized 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 particles forced downward.
The positive ions would be accelerated towards the upper plate P, and negative ions
would be accelerated towards the plate P2. If the P1and P2 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.
 The effect is result of Faraday’s law of electro magnetic induction.

F is the force of the acting particle(vector)

Lorentz Force Law:
V is the velocity of the particle (vector)
F = QvB
Q is the charge of the particle (scalar)
B is the magnetic field (vector)
The conducting flow fluid is forced between with a kinetic energy & pressure
differential sufficient to over come magnetic induction force F ind .
The end view drawing illustrates the construction of the channel.
An ionized gas is employed as a conducting field.
Ionization is produced either by thermal means i.e. by an elevated temperature or by
seeding with substance like cesium or potassium vapours which ionize at relatively low
temperature.
The atom of seed element split off electrons. The presence of negatively charge
electrons make the carrier gas an electrical conductor.
 MHD systems can be classified broadly as follows:
1.) Open cycle System

2.) Closed cycle System

Open 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 is 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.
The MHD generator resembles a rocket engine surrounded by a magnet the coal is burnt to produce 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 expands 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 removing 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
The resulting mixture having an electrically conductivity of about 10ohm/m is expanded through a nozzle

to increase its velocity and then 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.

Closed cycle MHD system:
The closed cycle inert gas MHD system was conceived1965. The main disadvantages of the open-
cycle system are very high temperature requirement and a very chemically active flow could be
removed, by closed cycle MHD system.
As the name suggests the working fluid in closed cycle, is circulated in a closed loop. The working
fluid is helium or argon with cesium seeding
The complete system has three distinct but interlocking loops. On the left is the external heating loop, coal is
gasified and the gas having a high heat value of about5.35 MJ/kg and temperature of about 530°C is burnt in
a combustor to produce heat. In the heat exchanger HX, this heat is transferred to argon the working fluid of
MHD cycle. The combustion products after passing through the airpreheater (to recover a part of the heat of
combustion product) and purifiers (To remove harmful emissions) and discharged to atmosphere.
The loop in the centre is the MHD loop. The hot argon gas is seeded with cesium and passed
through MHD generator. The dc power output of MHD generator is converted to A.C. by the
inverter and is then feed into the grid.
The steam loop for further recovering the heat of the working fluid and converting
this heat into electrical energy. The fluid passes through the heat exchanges
HX2where it imparts its heat to water which gets converted to steam. This steam is
used partly for during a turbine which runs the compressor partly for turbine drive
an alternator.
The output of the alternator is also to the grid. The working fluid goes back to the
heat exchanges HX) after passing through compressor and intercooler. A closed
system can provide more useful power conversion at lower temperatures (around
1900o K as compared to 2500o K for open cycle system).
ADVANTAGES OF MHD GENERATION
MHD generation offers several advantages as compared to other methods of electric
generation.
1. The conversion efficiency of a MHD system can be 50% as compared to less than 40 percent for the
most efficient steam plants.
2. Large amount of power is generated.
3. It has no moving parts, so more reliable.
4. It has ability to reach the full power level as soon as started.
5. Because of higher efficiency, the overall generation cost of an MHD plant will be less.
6. The more efficient heat utilization would efficient heat utilization would decreases the amount of
heat discharged to environment and the cooling water requirements would also be lower.
7. The higher efficiency means better fuel utilization. The reduce fuel consumption would offer
additional economic and social benefits.
8. The Closed cycle system produces power free of pollution
 NEED FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
The commercial use of MHD concept has not been possible because numerous

technological advancements are needed prior to commercialization of MHD

systems. Most of these are related to material problem created by the simultaneous

presence of high temperature and a highly corrosive and abrasive environment.

The MHD channel operates extreme conditions of temperature, magnetic and

electric fields. Search is on for better insulator and electrode materials which can

with stand the electrical, thermal, mechanical and thermo-chemical stresses and

corrosion.
Applications:
Power generation in space craft.

Hypersonic wind tunnel experiments.

Defense application
Conclusion:
With the increased industrial and agricultural activities, power demand is also highly
increased. In the country is sure to fall short of the energy demand by the first decade of next
century. This means an additional capacity of power is required next 10 year. The answer to
this is in non-conventional energy.
The MHD power generation is in advanced stage today and closer to commercial utilization
significant progress has been made in development of all critical component and sub system
technologies coal burning MHD combined steam power plant promise significant economic
and environmental advantages compared to other coal burning power generate technologies.
It will not be long before the technological problem of MHD generate are overcome and
MHD power generation transform itself from non-conventional to conventional energy
sources.
References:
Non-Conventional Energy Sources

By: S.Hasan Saeed, D.K Sharma

Electrical Power System

By: DR. Inamdar

Generation Distribution & Utilization of Electrical Energy.

By: C.L.Wadwa
?