SELF INDUCED LASER MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC (MHD) ELECTRIC GENERATOR

摘要

A laser-induced magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electric generator, in which the working gas medium is the gas of a gas laser. The coherent light generated by this gas laser is used for ionizing the gas medium circulated in closed cycle by a compressor through the magnetic gap of the generator, to produce electricity. This MHD generator can be combined with a fuel engine to convert the thermal energy of fuel and/or the thermal energy stored in air into electrical energy by magnetohydrodynamic action. The fuel engine may comprise a combustion chamber in which fuel is burnt with air, an heat-exchanger in which the thermal energy from the burner is transferred in part to the gas medium of the closed cycle, and at least one heat engine, preferably a turbine, in which the remaining part of the thermal energy from the burner is used to run the compressor used in the closed cycle to circulate the gas medium through the magnetohydrodynamic generator. The so obtained hybrid engine is particularly interesting because of its high thermodynamic efficiency and its high energy conversion rate.