Magnetohydrodynamic power system with semi-closed cycle

Claim 2

In a MHD power system: an MHD generator; means to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generator; means to recycle combustion products that have passed through said MHD generator for reintroduction therein, while venting a flow equivalent to the rate of supply of new fuel and oxidant.

Claim 3

In a MHD power system: an MHD generator; means to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generator; means to recycle combustion products that have passed through said MHD generator for reintroduction therein, while venting a flow equivalent to the rate of supply of new fuel and oxidant.

Claim 4

In a MHD power system: an MHD generator; means to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generator; means to recycle combustion products that have passed through said MHD generator for reintroduction therein, while venting a flow equivalent to the rate of supply of new fuel and oxidant.

Claim 5

The subject matter of claim 1 further comprising: means to heat said oxidant prior to combustion with said fuel and also to heat said recycled combustion products before reintroduction in said MHD generator.

Claim 6

The subject matter of claim 1 wherein: said means to burn fuel with oxidant and supply combustion products thereof to said generator comprises a combustion chamber with means to supply fuel and oxidant thereto for combustion therein and a mixing chamber with means to supply combustion products from said combustion chamber to said mixing chamber, means to supply said recycled combustion products to said mixing chamber, means to supply an alkali metal seeding material to said mixing chamber, and means to supply mixed gaseous material from said mixing chamber to said MHD generator.

Claim 7

A semi-closed cycle MHD power system comprising: an MHD generator having an inlet and an outlet for a working fluid having conductivity and means to derive an EME resulting from flow of said working fluid between said inlet and said outlet; a chamber connected with said inlet to form therein said working fluid and to supply said working fluid to said inlet, said working fluid comprising (1) a quantity of fuel combustion products that have not previously been cycled through said system, (2) a quantity of fuel combustion products that have previously been cycled through said system, and (3) an alkali seeding material; a heater chamber connected with said generator outlet with means to heat oxidant prior to fuel combustion and to heat combustion products prior to recycling; means to permit discharging from said system a quantity of gas equal in mass to said quantity of fuel and oxidant that have not previously been cycled through said system.

Claim 8

A semi-closed cycle MHD power system comprising: an MHD generator having an inlet and an outlet for a working fluid having conductivity and means to derive an EME resulting from flow of said working fluid between said inlet and said outlet; a chamber connected with said inlet to form therein said working fluid and to supply said working fluid to said inlet, said working fluid comprising (1) a quantity of fuel combustion products that have not previously been cycled through said system, (2) a quantity of fuel combustion products that have previously been cycled through said system, and (3) an alkali seeding material; a heater chamber connected with said generator outlet with means to heat oxidant prior to fuel combustion and to heat combustion products prior to recycling; means to permit discharging from said system a quantity of gas equal in mass to said quantity of fuel and oxidant that have not previously been cycled through said system.

Claim 11

The subject matter of claim 5 wherein: said combustion gases are formed from fuel combustion with air that has been preheated prior to said combustion and said recycled combustion gases are also heated prior to reintroduction in said generator.

Claim 12

The subject matter of claim 6 wherein: said combustion gases are supplied in a ratio of from about 0.05 to 5.0 parts recycled combustion products to 1 part new combustion products.

Claim 13

The subject matter of claim 5 wherein said new combustion products are generated by first producing an ash free gaseous fuel through reaction of a coal derived fuel with all or a portion of said combustion gases that are recycled, and burning said ash free gaseous fuel with oxidant in a combustion chamber ahead of the MHD generator.

Claim 14

The subject matter of claim 5 wherein said new combustion products are formed by reaction of a coal derived fuel with preheated oxidant in a combustion chamber designed to separate out a major fraction of the ash.

Claim 15

The subject matter of claim 5 wherein the recycled combustion products are introduced into the combustion chamber in which reaction of fuel and oxidant is taking place, so that mixing of said recycled gases and chemical reaction of fuel and oxidant take place simultaneously and in the same chamber.