Magneto Hydrodynamic

Power Generation

Magneto = magnetic
field
Hydro = fluid
Dynamic =
movement

Introduction
Lorentz force law
Faradays law
Principle, construction and working of
Magneto hydrodynamic generator
(MHD)
Advantages, disadvantages and
applications

Magneto Hydrodynamic generators

The Magneto hydrodynamic (MHD)
generator is a device that converts
thermal energy of a fuel directly into
electrical
energy
(unlike
the
conventional generator).
In 1932, Michael Faraday, demonstrated the
experiments that there is an electromagnetic induction
in a current
carrying conductor moving the earth
magnetic field.
In 1938, U.S scientist Bela Karlovitz is the first one
developed the Magneto hydrodynamic
generator.
First MHD generator -> 75MW in USSR
In India, the MHD generator program is undergoing in
Thiruchirappalli (T.N.) under joint efforts of BARC and

1. Introduction
The
Magneto
hydrodynamic
(MHD)
generator is a device that converts
thermal energy of a fuel into electrical
energy.

In 1932, Michael Faraday, demonstrated the

experiments that there is an electromagnetic induction
in a current
carrying conductor moving the earth
magnetic field.
In 1938, U.S scientist Bela Karlovitz is the first one
developed the Magneto hydrodynamic
generator.
In India, the MHD generator program is undergoing in
Thiruchirappalli in collaboration with Bharat heavy
electrical limited (BHEL).
6

The meaning of MagnetoHydro

Dynamics

2. Lorentz force
law
The Lorentz force law is the basis for the Magnetohydrodynamic generator
The lorentz force law states that the charged
particle experience a force when is moving in the
electromagnetic field. This force can be explained
as
F= Q (v x B)
Where, F is the force acting on charged particle.
Q is the charge of the particle
V is the velocity of particle
B is the magnetic induction

3. Faradays law
When a charged particle moving in a magnetic field, it
experience the retarding force as well as produce
voltage. This is the basis of Faradays law.

S
Hot gaseous
conductor

V Output current
N

This movement of force through displacement

is converted into electrical work by em
principle.

4. Principle, construction and working of

Magneto hydrodynamic generator
(MHD)
Principle

is

The principle of Magneto hydrodynamic generator

based on Lorentz law and faraday's law.

In this system, the hot ionized gaseous conductor

(working fluid) is passed into the high magnetic field
and thereby the current is produced. By placing
suitable electrodes (Anode and cathode) inside the
chamber,
the output load is taken through the
external circuit.
10

11

Constructio
n
Water
cooler

Workin
g fluid
Inle
t

Thermal resistance
sealing

combustio
n

S
Electrod
e
Ionized Gas

Chamber

Nozzl
e

Magne
t

Load
V outpu
t
Strea
m out

12

 MHD generator consist of a Combustion chamber

and generator chamber.
The fluid conductor is passed into the combustion
chamber
where they are ionized at very high
temperature.
Fluid may be gas at elevated temp or liq metal like Na
or K.
Ionisation is produced by thermal means or by
seeding with Cs or K vapours which ionise at
relatively low temp.
Atoms of seed element split off electrons.
these electrons make gas conducting
Other way is to incorporate a liq metal (a good
conductor) in gas.
14

There is a nozzle through which the ionized gas pass

 The generator chamber consist of

powerful magnet and a number of
oppositely located electrode pair is
inserted in the channel to conduct
the electrical current generated to an
external load.
Both combustion chamber and
generator chamber are surounded
by a heat resistance material and
water cooler

Working
The gaseous (fluid) conductor is passed into the
combustion chamber through inlet.
By using a fuel like oil (or) natural gas (or) coal, the
fluid conductor is heated to a plasma state and hence
it is ionized.

The temperature in the combustion chamber is

around 2000K to 2400K.
The heat generated in the combustion chamber
removes the outermost electrons in the fluid
conductor.

Therefore, the gas particle acquires the charge

16

 The charged gas particles with high velocity enters

into the generator chamber via nozzle.
The positive and negative charge moves to
corresponding electrodes (anode and Cathode) and
constitute the current.
In generator chamber, based principles of Faradays
law, the high velocity ionized conducting gas particles
experience the magnetic field at right angles to their
motion of direction and hence the potential (current)
is produced.
The direction of current (Potential) is perpendicular
to both the direction of moving gas particle and to
the magnetic field.
17

 The diagram shows the

direction of charged
particle, magnetic field
and
the
current
produced

Potential (E)

90
Ionized gas (Q)

All three field are

perpendicular to each
other

90
Magnetic field (B)

18

 The electrodes are connected to an external circuit to

get a load output.
The current produced in the MHD generator are
direct
current (DC)
This DC current can be converted into alternative
current (AC) using an inverter attached with the
external circuit.
In MHD generator, the seeding materials such as
potassium and cesium are used to reduce the ionization
temperature.
These seeds are mixed with fuel material such as
natural gas and coal.
19

 The overall efficiency of MHD generators are about

50
to 60 %.
The electrode are made generally using high
temperature ceramic materials such as carbides (SiC,
ZrC, MbC), bromides (ZrB2, TiB2, LaB2) and silicides
(WS and MOSi2 ).

20

5. Advantages, disadvantages and

applications
Advantages
1.

The on and off time is about second.

2.

Low pollution.

3.

There are no moving parts, it is very reliable to

use.

4.

The MHD generator has high thermal efficiency

5.

It is a direct conversion device.

6.

They have a better fuel utilization

7.

It can produce large amount of power

22

Disadvantages
1. They need high pure superconductor.
2. Working temperature is very high as about 200K to
2400K.
3. The loss of power is very high
4. The components get high corrosion due to high
working temperature.

23

Application
The MHD generators are used to power submarines
and aircrafts.

Electrical
applications

power

production

for

domestic

They are used in a pulsed detonation rocket engine

(PDRE) for space application
They can be used as power plants in industry and
uninterrupted power supply system
24

Open cycle MHD generator

 For efficient practical realisation, an MHD

system must have:
i. Air super heating arrangement to heat the
gas to around 2500 C so that electrical
conductivity is increased
ii. Combustion chamber must have low heat
losses
iii. Arrangement to add low ionisation potential
seed material to gas
iv. Water cooled but electrically insulating
expanding duct (MHD) with life long
electrodes
v. Seed recovery apparatus.

 Basic advan: High electrical

conductivity of liq.

MHD Design problems and

developments
1. Max power o/p per unit vol = * v2*B2*
. strong mag field is reqd.
. Conventional electromagnets (field generated
by dc) are used in studies.
. Large scale- > large current
. Super conducting magnets reqd
2. Efficiency low, life of equipment short
3. Corrosive combustion gases at very high temp:
operating life reduces
4. Separation of seed material a problem
5. Ash residue causes erosion of exposed surfaces

1. Use H2 gas made from coal and

water. When burned in O2, products
wud be high temp steam.
2. Use fuel gas derived from coal
rather than coal itself in the
combustor.

Advantages of MHD system

Conversion efficiency = 50% compared to <40% of steam plants.

Large amount of power generated
No moving parts, more reliable
Produces power free of pollution
The on and off time is about second.

There are no moving parts, it is very reliable to use.

The MHD generator has high thermal efficiency

It is a direct conversion device.

They have a better fuel utilization

The size of the plant is small

Can be used for peak power generation and emergency power

Applications

The MHD generators are used to power submarines

and aircrafts.

Electrical power production for domestic applications

They are used in a pulsed detonation rocket engine

(PDRE) for space application

They can be used as power plants in industry and

uninterrupted power supply system

An actual working ground based non-nuclear 10 MW

MHD generator using a superconducting magnet

THERMOELECTRIC
POWER

1. Introduction
Thermoelectricity refers to a class of phenomena in which
a temperature difference creates an electric
potential or an
electric potential creates a temperature difference.

Thermoelectric power generator is a device that

converts the heat energy into electrical energy based on
the
principles of Seebeck effect
The pioneer in thermoelectric was a German scientist
Thomas Johann Seebeck (1770-1831)
Later, In 1834, French scientist, Peltier and in 1851,
Thomson (later Lord Kelvin) described the thermal effects on
conductors

2. Seebeck, Peltier and Thomson effect

Seebeck effect
When the junctions of two different metals are maintained at
different temperature, the emf is produced in the circuit.
This is known as Seebeck effect.
The conductor 1 is maintained at
T+T temperature
The conductor 2 is maintained at
temperature T.
Since the junctions are maintained
at different temperature, the emf U
flows across the circuit.

Peltier effect
Whenever current passes through the circuit of two
dissimilar conductors, depending on the current
direction, either heat is absorbed or released at the
junction of the two conductors. This is known as Peltier
effect.
absorbe
d

released

Thomson effect
Heat is absorbed or produced when current flows in
material with a certain temperature gradient. The heat
is proportional to both the electric current and the
temperature gradient. This is known as Thomson effect.
3. Thermoelectric effect
The thermoelectric effect, is the direct conversion of
heat differentials to electric voltage and vice versa

Working
When the two sides of semiconductor are maintained
with different temperature, the emf is flows across the
output circuit
Cold
side

N-type

Hot
side

Heat
flow

Electron
flow

4. Thermoelectric materials

The good thermoelectric materials should possess

1. Large Seebeck coefficients
2. High electrical conductivity
3. Low thermal conductivity

The example for thermoelectric materials

.
.
.
.

BismuthTelluride (Bi2Te3),
Lead Telluride (PbTe),
SiliconGermanium (SiGe),
Bismuth-Antimony (Bi-Sb)

Principle, construction and working of

Thermoelectric power generator
Thermoelectric
power
generator based on the
principle of Seebeck effect
that when the junctions of
two different metals are
maintained
at
different
temperature, the emf is
produced in the circuit

Heat
input
Hot
junction
P-type

Heat
ejection

N-type
Cold
junction
Power
output

Construction
Thermoelectric power generation (TEG) devices
typically use special semiconductor materials, which are
optimized for the Seebeck effect.
The simplest thermoelectric power generator consists of
a thermocouple, comprising a p-type and n-type
material connected electrically in series and thermally
in parallel.
Heat is applied into one side of the couple and rejected
from the opposite side.
An electrical current is produced, proportional to the
temperature gradient between the hot and cold

Therefore, for any TEPG, there are four basic component

required such as

Heat source (fuel)

P and N type
semiconductor stack
(TE module)

Heat sink (cold side)

Electrical load
(output voltage)

 The figure shows the construction of thermoelectric

power generator.
There is a burner in which the propane fuel is used as
heating source in one side.
The exhaust is used to transmit a burnt fuel.
On the other side, a cold junction is kept.
The thermoelectric module (TE) (consist of number of
P- type and N-type semiconductor pellets connected in
series or parallel depending on the served load)) is kept in
between the hot and cold junction.

The electrical out (load) is taken from the TE module.

Major Types available

Fossil fuel generators
Solar Source generators
Nuclear Fuel generators

Advantages

Easy maintenance: They works electrically without any

moving parts so they are virtually maintenance free.

Environment friendly: Thermoelectric generators

produce no pollution. Therefore they are eco friendly
generators.

Compact and less weight: The overall thermoelectric

cooling system is much smaller and lighter than a
comparable mechanical system.

High Reliability: Thermoelectric modules exhibit very

high reliability due to their solid-state construction


in

No noise: They can be used in any orientation and

zero gravity environments. Thus they are popular in
many aerospace applications.

Convenient Power Supply: They operate directly

from a DC power source.

Applications

TEG System

Load : LED lighting

Experiment- THERMOELECTRIC
GENERATOR
Apparatus
Beakers

Hot
water

Ice
water

hot plate
Ice
Fan
digital
thermometer

This experiment converts thermal energy to electrical energy by

Seebeck effect. Immerse the metal plates in two different
temperature baths. This Unit will generate 10mV/degree
temperature difference. Show this with a multimeter or use it to
run a small fan.