Fault analysis of Ar–Cs segmented-loading disk magnetohydrodynamics generator connected to electric power system

Abstract The authors study numerically an interconnecting system between the segmented-loading Ar–Cs closed cycle disk magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) generator and an infinite bus through the line-commutated inverter system and double-circuit power transmission line when faults occur at the inverter system and the power transmission line. Simulation results at the inverter fault condition show that misfiring of the inverter at not only the downstream but also the upstream results in a large disturbance at the downstream in various quantities of the generator. The firing angle control is very important to recover the operating condition of the MHD generator. Simulation results at the power line fault condition show that the inverters become out of operation, and ionization instability of the plasma is induced in the MHD generator when the fault occurs. When the fault is removed, the MHD generator can be recovered by means of the firing angle control of the inverters.