Experimental investigation on the effects of the TRW two-stage coal combustor on the performance of the Avco Mk VI MHD generator

Coal-fired MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) power train testing at the US Department of Energy´s Component Development and Integration Facility (CDIF) has resulted in different generator performance (power) than corresponding tests with the ash-injected oil-fired combustor. This observation has led to an experimental investigation to resolve these differences in the Avco Mk VI MHD Generator Test Facility, using engineering prototypes of the 50 MWt hardware tested at the CDIF. The results of this ongoing investigation are reported, and analyses of experimental data that isolate plasma conductivity and nonuniformity as the primary influences on the measured performance of the generator are presented