Magnetohydrodynamic Drive

Final Report

Submitted to The Faculty of Operation Catapult LXX Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, Indiana

by Group 18 Chris George Ben Ross Raymond Reese Terry Kang Terry Sanford High School Fayetteville, North Carolina Parkland High School Allentown, Pennsylvania Whitney Young High School Chicago, Illinois American High School Fremont, California July 26, 2001

18-1 Introduction: It reminds me of the heady days of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin when the world trembled at the sound of our rockets. Now they will tremble again - at the sound of our silence. The order is: engage the silent drive. These are the words of Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) in The Hunt for Red October, the movie that popularized the idea of a magnetohydrodynamic drive. Surprisingly, the concept of magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) has been around for over one hundred years. However, only recently have people realized its true potential. Less than ten years ago the first superconducting electro-magnetohydrodynamic propulsion ship, the YAMATO 1, was set to sea. However, submarines and other water-faring vessels are only one application of MHD. MHD relies on a relatively simple principle consisting mainly of Lorentzs force law. Simply put, it states that perpendicular magnetic and electric fields exert a force on a charge. In this case, it pushes the solution through the MHD engine. The use of MHD has several advantages over a conventional motor. As Captain Ramius words imply, the MHD drive is silent. This occurs because of the drive has no moving parts, save water. The drive uses electricity, like most engines, and this electricity interacts with the magnetic field using an ionized solution as the medium. This results in a nearly inaudible propulsion system. Another advantage over conventional motors is its efficiency. In theory, the MHD drive is more efficient than an electric or petroleum-powered motor. Unfortunately, such efficiency requires further testing, but the possibility to excel does exist. A final advantage over conventional engines that the MHD drive holds is its low-maintenance requirements. The drive, as was said before, has no moving parts, excluding ionic solution or plasma. This eliminates the need for pistons or an armature. As long as the pipes containing the conducting fluid are airtight, no problem exists. Because of the aforementioned properties, extensive research is being conducted experimenting with MHD not only as a motor, but also as a generator. Magnetohydrodynamic generators are now in use as supplements to conventional generators in plants even today.

Models Goldfish Launcher: Model Alpha: After a few days of research, we understood the basic concepts of magnetohydrodynamics, and decided to dive right in. We started construction of our first prototype. It was designed for an open system (to be set in a large tub of solution), so it was simply the drive and nothing else. We had perused through the equations governing magnetohydrodynamics, but were unsure what kind of power the drive could produce. With this being the case, we chose to use PVC pipe as the outer hull of the drive. The inner diameter of the pipe was one inch, approximately twice what we used on our final model. The pipe was also relatively thick, keeping the magnets further apart then necessary. For electrodes, we stuck two short, thick pieces of copper and held them on opposite sides of the tube with duct tape. We then attached the electrodes to our power supply and plunged the contraption into a tub of salt water.

18-2 Because of the opacity of the pipe, it was difficult to see if there was any flow at all. We needed something to test the flow, so we took a goldfish cracker from a nearby bag and put in inside the tube. Sure enough, the goldfish emerged from the tube and popped to the surface. Goldfish Launcher has liftoff! Success! Model Alpha

Electrodes

PVC Pipe

Magnets Model Beta: Model Alpha worked, but we realized that improvements could be made (see problem section). Model Beta attempted to fix several problems from Model Alpha. For one thing, we vowed never to use duct tape to hold together our drive! Instead of a large diameter PVC pipe as the drive we used a small, clear, square-shaped plastic container. This allowed the magnets to be much closer together, creating a stronger magnetic field. Since our bulky electrodes would not fit inside the drive without touching, we decided to use copper wires. Again we made just the drive, not a complete system. We continued to use saltwater in a tube to test the device. When we tested our device, again we had success. And this time it was visible through the clear tunnel. Model Beta

Copper Wires

Plastic Tube Magnets

18-3 MHD The Ride: Model Gamma: After our second model, we were happy that we could see flow, but were unhappy with the rate of flow. It seemed inefficient that a 6V, 8A max power supply could produce only a trickle of water using MHD, where it can create decent flow with a simple propeller. We realized that if we wanted to increase the flow we would have to take the MHD drive back to the drawing board. First, we realized that in our first two models the electrodes were bulky and hard to attach. We decided to eliminate this problem by combining the electrodes and the tube. Of course, we needed to add an insulator in between the top and the bottom halves of the electrodes so the device would not cause the power supply to short out. Second, we decided that the magnets we were using were not the right shape or size for our drive. After a day of research, we decided to order eight neodymium-iron-boron magnets. Once we had all had our fingers pinched several times, we hot-glued the magnets to two pieces of wood. We had increased the magnetic field strength and fixed design problems, but we were getting well under one amp through the drive. We realized we needed to find a new solution that both conducted electricity and did not corrode copper. Potassium Sulfate was the solution. With this new discovery, we realized that an open system like we had used before was not practical anymore. Since oceans are not made out of Potassium Sulfate the model would not be realistic. It was at this time that we created a closed system. It consisted of clear tube connecting the MHD drive to a reservoir. The reservoir was created in order to change and empty the solution inside the system. We constructed Model Gamma and watched it worked. It was the best flow we had seen so far. We decided that Model Gamma would become our final model. To make a significantly better model, we realized that we would need supercool or superhot temperatures, which were not at our disposal. The final step was to turn a messy looking contraption into a realistic model. We resolved to make a model of an amusement park ride showing one application of MHD: transportation. From then on, Model Gamma was known as MHD: The Ride.

18-4 Model Gamma: MHD Drive Copper Tube/ Electrodes

Insulator Magnets

Entire System

Plastic Tubing Magnets

Reservoir

Magnets

MHD Drive

18-5 Problems: Our developmental stage consisted of brainstorming ideas, testing them, and then fixing the problems that arose. Many of the problems that we ran across have plagued MHD researchers and inventors for years. The main problem was this: MHD relies on two fields, the magnetic field and the electric field. To get the most out of the drive, these fields must be as strong as possible. Though this seems simple, in application it is quite difficult to accomplish. To maximize the magnetic field, we decided to get the strongest permanent magnets we could find. We made this decision when we realized it would take more power than we had coming from our power supply to create an electromagnet of equivalent strength. However, a permanent magnet is not optimal for the creation of the strongest magnetic field. A superconducting, metal with a current passed through it (acting as a electromagnet) could create an extremely strong magnetic field. Unfortunately, supercool temperatures would be required to obtain conditions that would allow for superconducting, and such temperatures could not be reached easily for repeated testing. Maximizing the electric field required more research. To maximize the current through the system, this simple formula guided our thinking: V=IR V=voltage I=current R=resistance We realized that with the given 6 volts coming from our power supply, we would need to minimize the resistance to maximize the current. The controlling factor in the system was the aqueous solution inside the MHD drive. Conventionally, as the hydro part of magnetohydrodynamics implies, water is used as the solution. However, water is a poor conductor of electricity by itself; salt is needed to increase conductivity. When electricity is run through it, salt water introduced another problem: it is very corrosive and forms chlorine gas! We found that almost any ionized liquid with electricity running through it corroded our copper electrodes. Ideally, a platinum electrode would be used because of its high resistance to corrosion. However, since we did not have platinum at our disposal, we found a solution that has a relatively high conductivity, but does not greatly corrode the copper. We had to pass through many hardships before we found this solution, including a particularly nasty spill of cupric sulfate that ate its way through our stainless steel tin can. Despite this, and other setbacks, we finally found the solution solution: Potassium Sulfate! Electricity also presented another problem. Almost any ionic solution with water as the solvent will become less and less voluminous as time passes. This occurs because water is electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen gas as time passes. Therefore, in a closed system like our final model, water would need to be added occasionally. The optimal medium inside the MHD is actually a superheated, ionic gas. Plasma MHD drives have been created, and offer significant potential. These drives could take MHD from the oceans and put them onto land or even the sky. A plasma drive was not practical for our drive, so we were forced to use water and try to abstain from running our drive excessively.

18-6 We encountered only a few design problems in our construction of the MHD drive. It was not clear what the most advantageous length and diameter of the tube would be. A smaller diameter would provide for greater pressure, but also increased friction. We attempted to find a happy medium between these two with a inch diameter drive. The length of the drive was also a balance. The longer the drive, the greater the distance the solution inside would accelerate, so the faster it would go. However, the solution would eventually reach a maximum speed where friction stopped it from accelerating the liquid any further. We tested several designs and settled on the design that offered the best results.

Applications : Applications of the MHD drive/generator are as varied as an electric motors. Although a land vehicle would be a more daunting task than a sea vessel, it is still possible. One design would use a paddlewheel-style device to harness mechanical energy from the speeding solution/plasma, thus propelling a drive shaft, and vehicle. The speed of the conducting liquid could be controlled by electro-magnets. With the proper electromagnets, the strength of the magnetic field could be controlled. This can be proven using Lorentzs Force Law: F=QvB F=Force acting on the particle V=Velocity of the particle (vector) Q=Charge of the particle (scalar) B= the magnetic field (vector). This equation proves that the use of an electromagnet as a throttle is not only possible, but probable. Although a land vehicle implementing an MHD drive is feasible, a boat or submarine utilizing the propulsion system is much more likely. The water these vessels travel in is always the host to a multitude of ions, so a closed system is not necessary. Electrodes would have to be created that resisted corrosion, especially for seawater. Seawater poses this problem thanks to its greatest solute, sodium chloride. The chloride ion is a particularly nasty anion, especially when in contact with metals. Platinum could handle the ion well, but the price for such a precious metal is prohibitive. Pure copper is cheap and conducts extremely well, but it is heavily corroded by salt water. Therefore, an alloy would have to be used. An alloy such as C44300 resists corrosion by seawater extremely well, and also conducts well. Another metal alloy that has been in use in saltwater environments for years is brass. Unfortunately, the right combination of pH and chloride concentration corrodes brass in a reaction known as dezincification. In recent years, however, a resistant alloy has been created that could also be used as an electrode. The alloy also has been shown to conduct well, thanks to the copper content. The problems with electrode corrosion are a relatively simple problem to solve when viewed in the long run. Both boats and submarines would work in a similar fashion. They would have a large intake with a baleen-style filter leading into a tube with two electrodes perpendicular to multiple electromagnets. The electromagnets, as in the car, would be used to control the velocity of the water flowing through. The current would not pose a real threat to sea life because the electricity

18-7 would dissipate fairly rapidly in the concentrated saltwater. The actual crafts would not need to be constructed with any special material as long as the hull is resistant to seawater. The advantages of an MHD powered craft as compared to a conventionally-powered sea machine are similar to the advantages mentioned above. The MHD drive has less pollution, less chance of mechanical failure, and is safer due to lack of a prop. Sea cows would no longer need to fear for their hides. Perhaps the most useful application of the drive is in space travel. A ship known as a lightcraft is currently being developed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The lightcraft has three methods of propulsion it can use: ion propulsion, MHD, and a Pulsed Detonation Engine (PDE). The first stage is the liftoff. The ion propulsion drive powers this stage. This drive is only capable of speeds under 150 m.p.h., so it is optimal for the short ascent and descent closest to the ground. After the ion propulsion drive powers the ship up out of the lower atmosphere, the PDE takes over. The PDE allows the lightcraft to perform a hyperjump in which the ship accelerates upwards faster than can be followed by the naked eye. This maneuver is still subsonic, but much faster than the ion propulsion system. Once the craft is in the upper atmosphere, the MHD drive takes over. The MHD is required for all orbital and upper atmospheric flight. It, along with the PDE, is powered by energy beamed from an orbiting satellite. The MHD engines use plasma as the medium and transfer waste heat into de-ionized water stored aboard. The super-heated water is then ejected as steam. The lightcraft can also be used for shorter travel, but the MHD engines would not need to be used. The MHD application in this craft is clear, and promises a bright future for the drive. A lighter-sided use of MHD is in amusement parks. The drive could be used to propel ionic solution through a closed system which carries along thrill seekers in submergible capsules. The ride would be analogous to the lazy river, found in most waterparks, with the exception that the rider would not get wet. The ride could either allow the rider to ride upright throughout the ride using ballast tanks, or spin around for a greater thrill. The drive(s) would be on the opposite end of the loading area, and allow the rider to pass between the electrodes. The electrodes would be long enough so as not to be blocked by the rider or his/her non-metal sub and thick enough to last quite a while. The entire ride would be enclosed in a tube, preferably clear and definitely non-metallic. The personal subs could also come in two person models, or even up to ten, depending on the size of the tube. With the proper research and funding, such a ride could be available within the next ten years.

Conclusion: The MHD propulsion system is so attractive because of its simplicity. It works on the basic principles of physics and requires little understanding to comprehend why propulsion occurs. MHD drives are currently used as components in analyzing thermonuclear reactions (the plasma flow), generating electricity to complement existing power sources, and propelling experimental sea craft. In the not too distant future, MHD drives may also be an integral part of transportation as the final stage engine of the lightcraft. At any rate, the MHD branch of physics has a promising future with much research and success on the way.