Possible developments in energy conversion using liquid metal magnetohydrodynamics

Abstract

Liquid metal magneto-hydrodynamic-energy-conversion (LMMHDEC) systems have been a matter of great interest and research & development since 1960. The various states of design and development of such systems go through a step-by-step progress with time. This paper highlights the phenomenon of direct thermal energy conversion systems using liquid metal as an electrodynamics fluid and gas/vapour as a thermodynamic fluid. An analysis of the technological drawbacks responsible for low efficiency of these LMMHDEC systems along with possible R & D solutions have been discussed in this technical research paper. The separation of electrodynamics fluid from thermodynamic fluid at various stages of MHD conversion remained an efficiency challenge of the various types of systems. To meet this challenge, a Dual-cycle MHD system has been designed in this paper. Both the fluids viz. thermodynamic and electrodynamics go through a phase change in this cycle. The thermal efficiency is optimized when one fluid goes into a phase change during a cycle and another fluid does not experience any phase change. The information covered in this paper enables an overview of concepts and the background to choose a cycle for a given temperature range.

Numerical investigation into the vapor-liquid flow in the mixer of a liquid metal Magneto-Hydro-Dynamic system

“…Too small volume fraction of liquid tin may result in a large proportion of continuous R113 vapor lm between the liquid tin and pipe wall. In other words, the undesirable ow regime of annular ow 15,16 may appear, which may cause a poor contact between the liquid tin and the electrodes on the wall in the MHD channel. The poor contact may hinder or even break the electric current loop, and drastically reduce power generation efficiency.…”