Thermoacoustic magnetohydrodynamic electrical generator

Patent · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:865918

Wheatley, John C ^[1]; Swift, Gregory W ^[1]; Migliori, Albert ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos, NM
2. Santa Fe, NM

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.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4599551
• OSTI ID: 865918
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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
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