How do gas velocity and magnetic-field strength affect MHD generator power output?

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magnetohydrodynamic power generator Comparison of the operating principles of (A) a turbogenerator and (B) an MHD generator.

In a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generator, the power output per unit of channel volume is directly proportional to the product of the gas conductivity, the square of the gas velocity, and the square of the magnetic-field strength.1

Because the power output scales with the square of both the gas velocity and the magnetic-field strength, even modest increases in these parameters result in significant gains in power density. To achieve competitive performance, MHD systems typically utilize high-intensity magnetic fields—often generated by superconducting magnets—in the range of three to five teslas, while the ionized gas is accelerated through a nozzle to velocities between 1,000 and 2,000 metres per second.1