Unit-3 (Contd.
Subject: Renewable Energy Resources (ROE-086)
B. Tech, Electrical Engineering
8th Semester, Section: EE-A, Session: 2019-20 (Even)
JSS Academy of Technical Education, Noida.
Topic- Magneto Hydro Dynamic (MHD)
Prepared by: Mr. Amit Kumar Roy,
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, JSS Academy of Technical Education, Noida, U.P, India.
Introduction
• MHD: Magneto Hydro Dynamics is concerned with the flow of a conducting fluid in the presence
of magnetic and electric field.
• An MHD generator is a device for converting heat energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy
without conventional electric generator.
• An 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 an MHD converter is increased by supplying the heat at the highest practical
temperature and rejecting it at the lowest practical temperature.
Principle of MHD Power Generation
• When an electric conductor moves across a magnetic field, a voltage is induced in it which
produces an electric current provided the circuit is closed.
• 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 which is an ionized
gas.
• If this ionized gas is passed at a high velocity through a powerful magnetic field, a current is
generated. This current can be extracted by placing electrodes in suitable positions around the
stream of ionized gases.
Principle of MHD Power Generation (contd.)
Principle of MHD Generation & conversion. [Ref: “Non-conventional energy sources,” G.D. Rai, Khanna Publishers, 5th
Edition, 2005.
Principle of MHD Power Generation (contd.)
𝐸𝑖𝑛𝑑 = 𝑢 × 𝐵
Ԧ
𝐽𝑖𝑛𝑑 = 𝜎𝐸𝑖𝑛𝑑
𝐸𝑖𝑛𝑑 = induced emf across electrodes
𝑢= velocity of the ionized gas/ conducting fluid
𝐵= applied magnetic field intensity
Ԧ
𝐽𝑖𝑛𝑑= induced current density
𝜎= electrical conductivity
MHD Generator
MHD Generator [Ref: “Non-conventional energy sources,” G.D. Rai, Khanna Publishers, 5th Edition, 2005.
MHD Generator (contd.)
• The conducting flow fluid is forced between the plates with a kinetic energy and pressure
differential sufficient to over come the magnetic induction force.
• The end view drawing illustrates the construction of the flow channel.
• An ionized gas is employed as the conducting fluid.
• Ionization is produced either by thermal means I.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.
MHD Systems
1. Open Cycle systems
2. Closed Cycle systems
a) Seeded inert gas systems
b) Liquid metal systems
MHD Systems (contd.)
1. Open Cycle systems
Open Cycle MHD system [Ref: “Non-conventional energy sources,” G.D. Rai, Khanna Publishers, 5th Edition, 2005.
Open Cycle MHD system (contd.)
• 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 MHD system (contd.)
• 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.
• 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.
Open Cycle MHD system (contd.)
• 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.
• By this effect, the magnetic field acts on the MHD-generated current and produces a voltage in
flow direction of the working fluid.
