Scientists in China have successfully developed a device that can convert hot gas moving at supersonic speeds into high-intensity electricity.
The lead author of the study, Zhang Xiaoyuan from the Institute of Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that the high-intensity energy generated from this technology can be used to charge laser cannons, microwave weapons, electromagnetic guns, and other military applications. Additionally, it can be utilized for civilian purposes, such as generating nuclear fusion energy or sending a series of strong SOS signals in emergency situations, according to a report by SCMP on February 2.
According to a description in the Chinese Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, the new power generation system operates by triggering explosions that convert gas into rapidly moving plasma. It then converts the energy of the plasma into electrical energy.
In an experiment, the system generated high-energy shock waves through a hydrogen-oxygen explosion. The shock waves compressed argon gas and accelerated it to Mach 14, which is 14 times the speed of sound, transforming the inert gas into highly conductive plasma filled with hot, charged ions. Ultimately, the plasma flows through a component known as a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator, a tube-like device that can harness energy from the fast-moving ions and convert it into electrical energy.
High-tech weapons like laser cannons require a large amount of energy to destroy targets. (Photo: AFP).
According to researchers, the MHD generator can produce rapid electrical pulses of up to 212 kilowatts while using less than one liter of supersonic gas, demonstrating the potential to unleash an energy explosion in a very short time for military purposes. This could address some of the biggest limitations in the development and deployment of pulsed energy weapons, releasing massive energy bursts to eliminate targets.
Conventional combustion processes, such as burning fossil fuels in jet engines, cannot generate ionized fluids quickly enough to produce high-power electricity. This type of power generation typically requires a large and complex setup with generators that have many mechanical parts needing regular maintenance. The electricity produced at these facilities also needs to be stored in supercapacitors so that energy can be released in an instant. Supercapacitors are very heavy, bulky, and repeated use places significant stress on their complex and expensive components.
In contrast, the MHD generator can produce high-power electricity in a simple and relatively compact system. “One of the many unique advantages of MHD is that it has no moving parts. It also does not require intermediate energy storage components. Energy can be transmitted directly to the load without the need for high-power switches. Additionally, the device can start up quickly,” Zhang stated.
China is developing high-power microwave weapons to disrupt aircraft and satellites, which are expected to require one gigawatt of input energy. Zhang’s team indicated that their generator system could produce one gigawatt of electricity from just 5 cubic meters of supersonic plasma.
The MHD generator has been assembled and tested at a hypersonic weapons research facility in Beijing. The Chinese government issued a new funding policy last year, encouraging more scientists to engage in hypersonic research and bringing technology—currently mainly used in the military—to civilian users.
