초록 ▼

An energy conversion device for generating electricity includes a heat exchanger adapted to receive heat from a heat source. A closed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) circuit includes a section for extracting heat from a heat exchanger so as to raise the temperature of the flowable electrically conductive

An energy conversion device for generating electricity includes a heat exchanger adapted to receive heat from a heat source. A closed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) circuit includes a section for extracting heat from a heat exchanger so as to raise the temperature of the flowable electrically conductive material within the MHD circuit. The heat exchanger includes a heat-conductive support adapted to be heated, and a heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit extracts heat from the support. The support may be a metal plate having a sinuous pipe arrangement in heat-conductive contact against each face, one of these pipe arrangements being part of a circuit for heating the plate and the other pipe arrangement being part of the MHD circuit. The heat source may be combustion of a fuel, solar, geothermal, chemical reaction, or waste heat in the form of a hot gas. The heat conductive support may be a metal tube heated, usually by a hot gas, in which case the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit includes a helical pipe surrounding the tube. The heat-providing means may include a lens arrangement for concentrating solar radiation on one face of the heat exchanger plate.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An energy conversion device for generating electricity, comprising (a) a heat exchanger including a conduit filled with and absorbing heat from a heating fluid as said heating fluid flows therethrough, and (b) a closed (magnetohydrodynamic) (MHD) circuit including (i) a

The invention claimed is: 1. An energy conversion device for generating electricity, comprising (a) a heat exchanger including a conduit filled with and absorbing heat from a heating fluid as said heating fluid flows therethrough, and (b) a closed (magnetohydrodynamic) (MHD) circuit including (i) an MHD electrode system, (ii) a section for extracting heat from the heat exchanger, said section being thermally connected to said conduit for receiving heat from said conduit, and (iii) a flowable electrically-conductive material within the circuit, the temperature of the material being elevated as it flows through the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit without coming into contact with said conduit and without said heat-extracting section of said MHD circuit coming into contact with said heating fluid. 2. An energy conversion device as described in claim 1 wherein the flowable material is capable of being ionized by the heat extracted from the heat exchanger. 3. An energy conversion device as described in claim 2 wherein the material flows through the closed MHD circuit in one direction, and the heat-extracting section of the circuit is located upstream of the electrode system. 4. An energy conversion device as described in claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat-conductive support mounted between said conduit and said heat-extracting section of said MHD circuit, said support adapted to be heated by the heat of said heating fluid transmitted through said conduit, the heat extracting section of the MHD circuit being adapted to extract heat from the support. 5. An energy conversion device for generating electricity, comprising (a) a heat exchanger including means for providing heat to the heat exchanger from a heat source, wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat-conductive support adapted to be heated by the heat-providing means, and the heat a liquid, and of the liquid extracting section of the MHD circuit being adapted to extract heat from the support, (b) a closed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) circuit including (i) an MHD electrode system, (ii) a section for extracting heat from the heat exchanger, and (iii) a flowable electrically-conductive material within the circuit, the temperature of the material being elevated as it flows through the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit, wherein the support comprises a metal plate having two opposite faces. 6. An energy conversion device as described in claim 5 wherein the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit includes a sinuous pipe arrangement in heat-conductive contact with one face of the plate. 7. An energy conversion device as described in claim 6 wherein the heat-providing means comprises a closed circuit, the heat-providing circuit having a heat-introducing section including a sinuous pipe arrangement in heat-conductive contact with the opposite face of the plate. 8. An energy conversion device as described in claim 7 wherein the heat-providing circuit contains a liquid, and including means for burning a combustible fuel to elevate the temperature of the liquid. 9. An energy conversion device as described in claim 7 wherein the heat-providing circuit contains including means for elevating the temperature using waste heat. 10. An energy conversion device for generating electricity, comprising (a) a heat exchanger including means for providing heat to the heat exchanger from a heat source, wherein the heat exchanger includes a heat-conductive support adapted to be heated by the heat-providing means, and the heat a liquid, and of the liquid extracting section of the MHD circuit being adapted to extract heat from the support, (b) a closed magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) circuit including (i) an MHD electrode system, (ii) a section for extracting heat from the heat exchanger, and (iii) a flowable electrically-conductive material within the circuit, the temperature of the material being elevated as it flows through the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit, wherein the support comprises a metal tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, the heat providing means heating one of the tube surfaces, and the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit being in heat-conductive contact with the other tube surface. 11. An energy conversion device as described in claim 10 wherein the heat providing means includes means for directing hot gas through the tube. 12. An energy conversion device as described in claim 11 wherein the hot gas incorporates waste heat from an industrial process. 13. An energy conversion device as described in claim 11 wherein the hot gas is exhaust gas from an automotive engine. 14. An energy conversion device as described in claim 10 wherein the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit includes a helical pipe surrounding the tube. 15. An energy conversion device as described in claim 5 wherein the heat-providing means includes a lens arrangement for concentrating solar radiation on one face of the plate. 16. An energy conversion device as described in claim 15 wherein the heat-extracting section of the MHD circuit includes a sinuous pipe arrangement in heat-conductive contact with the opposite face of the plate. 17. An energy conversion device as described in claim 1 including means for pumping the flowable material through the MHD circuit, and wherein the MHD electrode system is oriented vertically so that flow of the material therethrough is in a downward direction.