Critical contributions in MHD power generation. Quarterly technical progress report, September 1--November 30, 1977

Technical Report · Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6645794· OSTI ID:6645794

Louis, J. F.

Research and development in open-cycle coal-fired MHD power generation at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is summarized. Progress is reported on the following tasks: (1) Establish chemical, thermal, and electrical data to guide materials selection, develop improved detail designs, and support performance analyses of MHD electrode modules and insulator materials; (2) parametrically investigate selected electrode properties of critical design importance in chemical, thermal, and electrical environments simulating a coal-fired MHD generator; (3) develop combustion data pertinent to the design of MHD combustors; this work is intended to determine the combustion characteristics of selected coal feedstock in terms of devolatilization kinetics, char characteristics, and combustion gas chemistry; (4) establish techniques for the analysis and understanding of critical MHD phenomena which have an important bearing on MHD generator performance; such phenomena include inter-electrode breakdown, time-dependent behavior, effective plasma properties and plasma inhomogeneities; (5) establish the operating characteristics of an MHD disk generator; (6) continue work on computer techniques for modeling and for design and cost analysis of MHD components and the overall system; (7) integrate the engineering data and design criteria, as applicable, which are developed in the above-listed tasks into a model of the MHD channel; (8) participate in technical support of the DOE MHD Project Office.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: EX-76-C-01-2215
• OSTI ID: 6645794
• Report Number(s): FE-2215-10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
COAL
COMBUSTION KINETICS
COAL-FIRED MHD GENERATORS
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTRODES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
MATERIALS TESTING
BOUNDARY LAYERS
BREAKDOWN
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
FLOW MODELS
FLUID FLOW
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PYROLYSIS
SLAGS
TEST FACILITIES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FLUID MECHANICS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRODYNAMICS
KINETICS
LAYERS
MECHANICS
MHD GENERATORS
REACTION KINETICS
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
300101* - MHD Generators- Design & Development
300103 - MHD Generators- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
300104 - MHD Generators- Duct Engineering & Fluid Dynamics