Performance Evaluation of MHD Power Plant at Optimal Operating conditions

摘要

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators have many advantages over other conventional methods of energy conversion. Thermodynamic analysis of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power plant is carried out and presented herein. General expressions for the thermal efficiency at maximum power output and maximum power density are obtained. The analysis considers the internal irreversibilities of the MHD generator and compressor. Both the power output and power density of the power plant are derived and compared with the maximum power output and maximum power density, respectively. The use of power density criteria improves the MHD power plant efficiency. It is shown that operating the MHD generator at lower Mach number improves the thermal efficiency in all operating conditions.