航空学および航空宇宙工学ジャーナル
オープンアクセス

概要

Oxygen and Silver Nanoparticle Aerosol Magnetohydrodynamic Power Cycle

Mills RL*, Nansteel M

Pressure and thermal energy of a novel hydrogen chemistry driven plasma is converted into kinetic energy using a converging-diverging nozzle, and the kinetic energy is converted to electricity in a novel highly efficient MHD cycle exploiting (i) the ability of silver to form nanoparticles at its melting point when exposed to oxygen and (ii) the ability of silver at its melting point to absorb up to 25 mole percent oxygen wherein the corresponding rates to support the cycle where experimentally confirmed. Equations for a constant pressure expansion of a constant conductivity working fluid in an MHD channel with uniform magnetic field demonstrated that as the flow decelerates the kinetic energy of the fluid is converted to MHD power in proportion to the loading factor W at a power density of 23.1 MW/liter, and the remaining fraction (1–W) of the kinetic energy is converted to fluid enthalpy that can be recovered wherein the MHD converter has no moving parts. Since the MHD efficiency may approach W=1, the electrical conversion of the power of the plasma into electricity may approach the efficiency of pressure-thermal to kinetic energy conversion wherein the corresponding nozzle efficiencies of 99% have been realized. This novel thermodynamic cycle enables closed liquid magnetohydrodynamic power conversion of a breakthrough clean hydrogen plasma power source into electrical power at a power density that is orders of magnitude higher than previously possible at an efficiency approaching unity.