Feasibility of the inflow disk generator for open-cycle MHD power generation. Final report

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6699015· OSTI ID:6699015

Eustis, R. H.

A feasibility study of the inflow disk MHD generator for baseload applications was performed. Each design element, i.e., the combustor, the inlet flow path, the generator channel, the diffuser and the magnet, was studied in detail in order to provide a comprehensive assessment of the inflow disk generator. A detailed comparative study of the heat loss effect of a single combustor vs multiple combustors for the inflow disk generator was conducted based on available combustor scaling laws. The heat and momentum losses in the inlet path were calculated for the combustion gas of Montana Rosebud coal with preheated air under the slagging wall condition. The tangential variation of the thermodynamic and electrical properties at the inlet of the channel due to these losses was calculated, and its effect on the generator performance was estimated. A series of water flow visualization experiments was conducted using a scale model of a baseload generator in order to study the flow field at the generator inlet. The performance of the conical diffuser to be combined with the inflow disk generator was estimated based on the available data. The intensity and the distribution of the magnetic field were calculated for the single-coil magnet and for the split-pair magnet. Based on these results, the performance of the inflow disk generator was calculated for two different thermal inputs: 1250 MW(th) and 2500 MW(th). It was shown that the performance of the inflow disk generator is similar to that of the diagonal generator within the uncertainty of the analysis.

• Research Organization: Stanford Univ., CA (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
• OSTI ID: 6699015
• Report Number(s): EPRI-AP-1639
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300101 -- MHD Generators-- Design & Development
300102* -- MHD Generators-- Performance & Testing
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL-FIRED MHD GENERATORS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
COMBUSTORS
CYCLONE COMBUSTORS
DIFFUSERS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DISK MHD GENERATORS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETS
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLOW MODELS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT LOSSES
HEAT TRANSFER
LOSSES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETS
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MHD CHANNELS
MHD GENERATORS
MHD POWER PLANTS
PERFORMANCE
POWER PLANTS
POWER RANGE 1-10 GW
RADIANT HEAT TRANSFER
SCALE MODELS
SCALING LAWS
STRUCTURAL MODELS
SWIRL FLOW
WORKING FLUIDS