West in recession

Did you know that over the years Russia has developed a number of different types of MHD generators, and Magnetohydrodynamics MHD - is an succesfull academic discipline

They have an actual working ground based non-nuclear 10 MW MHD generator by using a superconducting magnet.
For decades Russia has devoted considerable resources to develop a light compact propulsion as well as power system for future space ships.

According to Dr. Robert Kesseler and F. Hals, 1992, the first generation commercial MHD plants would need to be sized between 250 to 500 MWe power output and would be expected to attain efficiency of 40 to 42% by using oxygen-enriched air with mod-erate (1200 °F) pre-heat temperature for the oxidant. To achieve 55 to 60% efficiency there would need to be significant technology development regarding super-conducting magnets, materials and plasma fluid dynamics.
The main parameters of the MHD generator are determined: Cs seed fraction 20%, stopping pressure at the entrance 2 MPa, electric conductivity ≈ 30 S/m, Mach number ≈ 0.7, magnetic induction 6 T, electric power 20 MW, specific energy extraction ∼4 MJ/kg. The construction of the scheme of a MHD facility with zero-moment exhaust of the working body and its main characteristics are presented.

Yes, is not a big secret that they are ahead of us 20 years.
Here at the West we are doing still those primitive start trials, partly because the electrical industry and the oil companies do not want to real support for this academic discipline.
We say that science is self-correcting (in freedom), however capitalism is not so good for evolution. It effect means devolution.
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