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Title: Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator

Abstract

A thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator includes an intrinsically irreversible thermoacoustic heat engine coupled to a magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. The heat engine includes an electrically conductive liquid metal as the working fluid and includes two heat exchange and thermoacoustic structure assemblies which drive the liquid in a push-pull arrangement to cause the liquid metal to oscillate at a resonant acoustic frequency on the order of 1000 Hz. The engine is positioned in the field of a magnet and is oriented such that the liquid metal oscillates in a direction orthogonal to the field of the magnet, whereby an alternating electrical potential is generated in the liquid metal. Low-loss, low-inductance electrical conductors electrically connected to opposite sides of the liquid metal conduct an output signal to a transformer adapted to convert the low-voltage, high-current output signal to a more usable higher voltage, lower current signal.

Inventors:
; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5277298
Application Number:
ON: DE85017768
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; MHD GENERATORS; DESIGN; ACOUSTICS; HYDRODYNAMICS; MAGNETIC PROPERTIES; THERMAL TESTING; THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES; THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; FLUID MECHANICS; MATERIALS TESTING; MECHANICS; NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; TESTING; 300101* - MHD Generators- Design & Development

Citation Formats

Wheatley, J C, Swift, G W, and Migliori, A. Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Wheatley, J C, Swift, G W, & Migliori, A. Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. United States.
Wheatley, J C, Swift, G W, and Migliori, A. Fri . "Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator". United States.
@article{osti_5277298,
title = {Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator},
author = {Wheatley, J C and Swift, G W and Migliori, A},
abstractNote = {A thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator includes an intrinsically irreversible thermoacoustic heat engine coupled to a magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. The heat engine includes an electrically conductive liquid metal as the working fluid and includes two heat exchange and thermoacoustic structure assemblies which drive the liquid in a push-pull arrangement to cause the liquid metal to oscillate at a resonant acoustic frequency on the order of 1000 Hz. The engine is positioned in the field of a magnet and is oriented such that the liquid metal oscillates in a direction orthogonal to the field of the magnet, whereby an alternating electrical potential is generated in the liquid metal. Low-loss, low-inductance electrical conductors electrically connected to opposite sides of the liquid metal conduct an output signal to a transformer adapted to convert the low-voltage, high-current output signal to a more usable higher voltage, lower current signal.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 1984},
month = {Fri Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 1984}
}

Patent:
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