Modeling MHD

[fred2014]

Does anyone know of software (or ideally) maybe a spreadsheet that would allow me to
model the generation of electricity in a simple rule of thumb manner for MHD systems?

Ideally I'd like to have some rough calculations I can just swap - say the main fluid
from a plasma to mercury and see the difference or mercury to salt water etc?
also be able to change other factors.

Whilst I have a number of PDF files here explaining all the factors I don't have
the math background to understand all the elements in detail.

 

What I'm looking for is a means of demonstrating the simple generation

of current by fluid flow through a tube and how that varies dependent upon

the fluid - the volume of flow - perhaps the length of flow and coils designs etc.

anything relevant but simple enough for intelligent demonstration

of rough power calculation purposes.

thanks

Edited September 7, 2016 by fred2014

[fred2014]

From the lack of response I expect I've put this in the wrong

place.

 

Can anyone suggest another forum or source that may be able to help

with this?

 

TIA

[John Cuthber]

I think you may be asking in as good a place as any, but it's a very hard question.

[Klaynos]

Have you looked for fluid dynamics models that you could modify?

 

I suspect most people who do this build their own models (probably collaboration between groups).

[fred2014]

Thanks john - I was very much afraid of that.

klaynos - yes I've looked into most everything I can find online.

Most of it is directly related to plasma technology (for pretty obvious reasons)

but the tech isn't something that anyone not directly involved can penetrate

too easily - at least I can't.

 

If anyone knows anything at anytime or can help

please feel free to jump in and let me know.

 

Thanks.

[Enthalpy]

MHD is little known because its poor results have prompted little investigation (unless some succeeded in unknown submarines), so I expect no off-the-shelf software for it.

 

Even if the naive models with uniform magnetic, electric and velocity fields combined with fluid resistivity did work, MHD would have a quite poor efficiency - but these models are known to be very wrong because the electric currents create turbulence in the flow.

 

One expert for MHD is Jean-Pierre Petit, but he's long retired and speaks little English. Don't let his reputation of crank stop you.

https://www.jp-petit.org/science/mhd/mhd_fr.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Petit

 

One demonstrator boat has been built by Mitsubushi Heavy Industries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamato_1

so in 1991, knowledge was available there, but not necessarily for disclosure. 15km/h with superconductors in helium isn't so appealing.