Three-dimensional numerical analysis of a liquid metal MHD generator.

Three-dimensional numerical analysis of a liquid metal MHD generator has been carried out. The three-dimensional structures of the electromagnetic field and fluid flow in the MHD generator have been clarified, and the effect of the electrode width on the performance has also been examined, taking account of the current flow in the electrode. Structures of the electromagnetic field and fluid flow are complicated owing to the three-dimensional current flow, induced magnetic field, and Lorentz force. The highest performance is found to be obtained when the width of the electrode is equal to that of the generator. The performance predicted from three-dimensional analysis is somewhat lower than that from two-dimensional analysis because of the larger input power. The increase in the input power is attributed to the increase in Lorentz force caused by less reduced magnetic flux density and to the additional friction loss on the insulator walls (x-y plane). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 160(3): 19–26, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (<URL>www. interscience.wiley.com</URL>). DOI 10.1002/eej.20282 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]