Experimental Study of MHD Power Generation Using Combustion Gases From a Rotating Detonation Combustor

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generation is a method that directly converts the enthalpy of a working gas into electrical energy by extracting electromotive force generated as a conductive fluid flows through a magnetic field. Rotating detonation combustors (RDCs), which utilize continuously rotating detonation waves, offer advantages such as system simplification and improved thermal efficiency due to supersonic combustion and pressure gain. Integrating MHD power generation with RDCs has been proposed for use in electric- pump-cycle rocket engines, with the expectation of superior performance compared to conventional open-cycle MHD systems. In this study, MHD power generation experiments were conducted using combustion gases from an RDC fueled with hydrogen and oxygen, with and without potassium seeding. Under a load resistance of 100 Ω, potassium seeding resulted in an output voltage of 30 mV and a current of 0.28 mA—both higher than those without seeding. The measured values were consistent with Ohm’s law, confirming the validity of the experimental setup.