MHD Power Generation: Engineering Aspects

This text, a basic and comprehensive treatment of the engineering aspects of MHD power generation, is suitable reading for university level MHD courses and as a background for courses on plasma physics and astrophysics.

It begins by explaining the processes by which gases can be made sufficiently electrically conducting for MHD to take place, and the way in which the motion of molecular particles is influenced by electrical and magnetic fields. This leads to a development of the basic principles of MHD interaction for both combustion and nuclear driven systems. The electrodynamics of MHD power generation are discussed and illustrated by the use of the gas dynamic equations. Finally, the engineering aspects and thermodynamics of MHD are explained.