Two-Fluid Magnetohydrodynamic Cycle for Nuclear-Electric Power Conversion

To circumvent the high temperatures required in a magnetohydrodynamic power conversion system employing a plasma as the conductor, it is proposed that a liquid metal be employed as the conductor, the metal being accelerated by the vapor of a second fluid in a two-phase nozzle and extracted by a liquid-gas separator. It is estimated that a cycle efficiency of 10% is attainable at a radiator-toreactor temperature ratio of 0.7. The specific weight of such a two- fluid MHD conversion system would be about the same as that of a turboelectric system. (auth)