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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 1,000 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:
 [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Los Alamos, NM
  2. Santa Fe, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
865918
Patent Number(s):
4599551
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02K - DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
thermoacoustic; magnetohydrodynamic; electrical; generator; intrinsically; irreversible; heat; engine; coupled; electrically; conductive; liquid; metal; fluid; exchange; structure; assemblies; drive; push-pull; arrangement; oscillate; resonant; acoustic; frequency; 000; hz; positioned; field; magnet; oriented; oscillates; direction; orthogonal; whereby; alternating; potential; generated; low-loss; low-inductance; conductors; connected; opposite; conduct; output; signal; transformer; adapted; convert; low-voltage; high-current; usable; voltage; current; electrical generator; electrical conductors; electrical potential; heat engine; heat exchange; liquid metal; electrically conductive; output signal; electrically connected; electrical conductor; current signal; magnetohydrodynamic electrical; intrinsically irreversible; alternating electric; resonant acoustic; current output; conductive liquid; thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic; engine coupled; metal conduct; /322/310/

Citation Formats

Wheatley, John C, Swift, Gregory W, and Migliori, Albert. Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. United States: N. p., 1986. Web.
Wheatley, John C, Swift, Gregory W, & Migliori, Albert. Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator. United States.
Wheatley, John C, Swift, Gregory W, and Migliori, Albert. Wed . "Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865918.
@article{osti_865918,
title = {Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator},
author = {Wheatley, John C and Swift, Gregory W and Migliori, Albert},
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 1,000 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 = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986}
}