Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine
Abstract
An internal combustion, liquid metal (LM) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) engine and an alternating current (AC) magnetohydrodynamic generator, are used in combination to provide useful AC electric energy output. The engine design has four pistons and a double duct configuration, with each duct containing sodium potassium liquid metal confined between free pistons located at either end of the duct. The liquid metal is forced to flow back and forth in the duct by the movement of the pistons, which are alternatively driven by an internal combustion process. In the MHD generator, the two LM-MHD ducts pass in close proximity through a Hartmann duct with output transformer. AC power is produced by operating the engine with the liquid metal in the two generator ducts always flowing in counter directions. The amount of liquid metal maintained in the ducts may be varied. This provides a variable stroke length for the pistons. The engine/generator provides variable AC power at variable frequencies that correspond to the power demands of the vehicular propulsion. Also the engine should maintain nearly constant efficiency throughout the range of power usage. Automobiles and trucks could be powered by the invention, with no transmission or power converter devices being required.
- Inventors:
-
- Oak Ridge, TN
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 870996
- Patent Number(s):
- 5637935
- Assignee:
- Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02G - HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02K - DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- double-duct; liquid; metal; magnetohydrodynamic; engine; internal; combustion; mhd; alternating; current; generator; combination; provide; useful; electric; energy; output; design; pistons; double; duct; configuration; containing; sodium; potassium; confined; free; located; forced; flow; forth; movement; alternatively; driven; process; lm-mhd; ducts; pass; close; proximity; hartmann; transformer; power; produced; operating; flowing; counter; directions; amount; maintained; varied; provides; variable; stroke; length; frequencies; correspond; demands; vehicular; propulsion; maintain; nearly; constant; efficiency; throughout; range; usage; automobiles; trucks; powered; transmission; converter; devices; required; metal main; magnetohydrodynamic generator; combustion process; close proximity; internal combustion; liquid metal; alternating current; mhd generator; free piston; electric energy; nearly constant; variable stroke; provides variable; stroke length; power usage; output transformer; metal magnetohydrodynamic; provide useful; energy output; containing sodium; double-duct liquid; generator provides; power converter; generator duct; engine design; mhd duct; power demand; duct configuration; duct containing; ducts pass; magnetohydrodynamic engine; /310/
Citation Formats
Haaland, Carsten M. Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine. United States: N. p., 1997.
Web.
Haaland, Carsten M. Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine. United States.
Haaland, Carsten M. Wed .
"Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870996.
@article{osti_870996,
title = {Double-duct liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic engine},
author = {Haaland, Carsten M},
abstractNote = {An internal combustion, liquid metal (LM) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) engine and an alternating current (AC) magnetohydrodynamic generator, are used in combination to provide useful AC electric energy output. The engine design has four pistons and a double duct configuration, with each duct containing sodium potassium liquid metal confined between free pistons located at either end of the duct. The liquid metal is forced to flow back and forth in the duct by the movement of the pistons, which are alternatively driven by an internal combustion process. In the MHD generator, the two LM-MHD ducts pass in close proximity through a Hartmann duct with output transformer. AC power is produced by operating the engine with the liquid metal in the two generator ducts always flowing in counter directions. The amount of liquid metal maintained in the ducts may be varied. This provides a variable stroke length for the pistons. The engine/generator provides variable AC power at variable frequencies that correspond to the power demands of the vehicular propulsion. Also the engine should maintain nearly constant efficiency throughout the range of power usage. Automobiles and trucks could be powered by the invention, with no transmission or power converter devices being required.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1997},
month = {1}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Electric Power Generation By Steady Flow Liquid Metal MHD Generators
conference, January 1991
- Hasland, C. M.
- IEEE Conference Record - Abstracts 1991 IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science
Electrical and pressure losses in a magnetohydrodynamic channel due to end current loops
journal, January 1962
- Sutton, George W.; Hurwitz, H.; Poritsky, H.
- Transactions of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, Part I: Communication and Electronics, Vol. 80, Issue 6
Direct current liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic power generation.
journal, April 1966
- Elliott, David G.
- AIAA Journal, Vol. 4, Issue 4