Energy Analysis of a Coal-fired MHD Power Plant

The present work concerns with the energy analysis model of a 30 MW coal-fired Magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) power plant. The first law analysis is performed for the energy flow through the first three components of the plant namely the combustor, a supersonic nozzle and the MHD generator. Energy losses of the three plant components are analysed applying energy balance. Plasma conductivity is enhanced with Caesium as seed material. It has been observed that the combustion gas at combustor exit section has the highest specific enthalpy and is minimum at the exit of generator. The maximum energy loss component is the generator and is minimum for the nozzle. Similarly, the component with highest thermal efficiency is the nozzle and it is lowest in the generator. In each case the MHD combustor stands as intermediate.