Fuels and Material Used In MHD Plants
- MHD plants can use conventional fuels like oil, coal, natural gas, kerosene, benzene, toluene. It can also use nuclear energy or any other form which can produce high temperature.
- The materials used in construction of MHD plants must have temperature resistance.
- Also, the high temperatures combined with alkaline atmosphere due to presence of seeding material makes the MHD ducts extremely susceptible to corrosion.
- Therefore, the materials used in the construction of MHD ducts have to be highly corrosion resistant materials.
- Electrodes are made of tungsten or carbon. The insulating materials used for duct walls are magnesium oxide, strontium zirconate.
- MHD ducts have to withstand temperatures in the range of 3000K or so.
- Presently the steam cooled walls which are made of insulted laminations of very thin nickel or stainless steel have been tried.
- The research is on to use suitable ceramics or coating of ceramics to use as duct material.