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Title: Method and apparatus for generating electricity magneto hydrodynamically
Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A closed cycle process for magnetohydrodynamic power generation which comprises the steps of: 1. thermally decomposing water to generate hydrogen and oxygen utilizing a primary heat source, 2. recombining said hydrogen and oxygen in a combustion chamber to form high temperature, high pressure water, 3. utilizing a first portion of the thermal energy in the high temperature, high pressure water to produce electrical energy by forcing the water through a magnetohydrodynamic generator thereby to produce an effluent stream of water, and 4. returning said effluent stream to said thermal decomposing means to supplement the heat energy from said primary heat source. 2. A cycle as in claim 1 wherein said primary heat source is the cooling medium from a nuclear reactor. 3. A cycle as in claim 2 wherein said thermal decomposing means is a thermochemical decomposer. 4. A cycle as in claim 3 wherein a first portion of the thermal energy in the effluent stream is recovered by passing the effluent stream from the magnetohydrodynamic generator through a heat exchanger cooled with cooling steam, the steam thus produced is utilized to operate a steam turbine and condensed to form water which is returned to the thermochemical decomposer and converted to said cooling steam by recovering the rejected heat from said thermochemical decomposer. 5. A cycle as in claim 4 wherein a second portion of the thermal energy in the effluent stream is recovered by utilizing a second coolant in addition to the cooling steam in said heat exchanger, and said second coolant is returned to said thermochemical decomposer to supplement the heat energy from said primary heat source. 6. A cycle as in claim 3 wherein the effluent stream from the magnetohydrodynamic generator is cooled in a heat exchanger, the thermal energy recovered is returned to the thermal decomposer to supplement the heat energy from the primary heat source, and is thereafter condensed to form liquid water which is returned to the decomposer. 7. An apparatus for magnetohydrodynamic power generation which comprises: 1. a primary heat source, 2. a closed circuit for the circulation of water, said closed circuit including: a. means in operative relationship with said heat source for thermally decomposing water to produce hydrogen and oxygen, b. a combustion chamber downstream from said thermal decomposing means for receiving the hydrogen and oxygen thus produced and combusting same to produce high temperature, high pressure water, c. a magnetohydrodynamic generator operatively connected to said combustion chamber for receiving said high temperature, high pressure water and converting a portion of the thermal energy therein to electricity and producing an effluent stream of water, and d. means for returning the water from the magnetohydrodynamic generator to the thermal decomposing means to supplement the heat energy from the primary heat source. 8. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the said primary heat source is the cooling medium from a nuclear reactor. 9. An apparatus in claim 8 wherein said thermal decomposing means is a thermochemical decomposer. 10. An apparatus as in claim 9 further including -- 1. a heat exchanger including means for conducting cooling steam therethrough to extract a portion of the thermal energy from said effluent stream and convert said coolant steam into superheated steam, 2. a steam turbine operatively connected to said steam conducting means to produce mechanical energy and steam at lower temperature and pressure, 3. a condenser for converting said steam at lower temperature and pressure to liquid water, and 4. means for returning said liquid water to the thermochemical decomposer for converting it to coolant steam by recovering the rejected heat from said thermochemical decomposer. 11. An apparatus as in claim 10 including means for conducting a second coolant through said heat exchanger and returning said second coolant, after extracting a second portion of thermal energy from said effluent stream, to said thermochemical decomposer to supplement the heat energy from the primary heat source. 12. An apparatus as in claim 9 further including: 1. a heat exchanger downstream from the magnetohydrodynamic generator, 2. means for conducting a coolant through said heat exchanger and returning said coolant, after extracting thermal energy from said effluent stream, to said thermochemical decomposer to supplement the heat energy from the primary heat source, and 3. a condenser to convert the steam in the effluent stream to water, said condenser being operatively connected to said thermochemical decomposer for conducting the water to the decomposer. 13. A cycle as in claim 1 wherein said thermal decomposing means is a thermochemical decomposer. 14. A cycle as in claim 1 wherein a first portion of the thermal energy in the effluent stream is recovered by passing the effluent stream from the magnetohydrodynamic generator through a heat exchanger cooled with cooling steam, the steam thus produced is utilized to operate a steam turbine and condensed to form water which is returned to the thermal decomposer and converted to said cooling steam by recovering the rejected heat from said thermal decomposer. 15. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said thermal decomposing means is a thermochemical decomposer. 16. An apparatus as in claim 7 further including: 1. a heat exchanger including means for conducting cooling steam therethrough to extract a portion of the thermal energy from said effluent stream and convert said coolant steam into superheated steam, 2. a steam turbine operatively connected to said steam conducting means to produce mechanical energy and steam at lower temperature and pressure, 3. a condenser for converting said steam at lower temperature and pressure to liquid water, and 4. means for returning said liquid water to the thermal decomposer for converting it to coolant steam by recovering the rejected heat from said thermal decomposer. Other info: Inventors: Nakamura, Takashi (Mitaka, JA) Application Number: 540331 Filing Date: 1975-01-13 Publication_date: 1976-09-14 Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Osaka, JA) Primary Class(es): 310/11 310/306, 376/320 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Other References: Geomagnetism, Chapman and Bartels, Oxford University Press, 1940, p. 445. | |