Direct Power Extraction is the ability to produce electricity without moving parts. While conventional engines that power our electricity system are based on rotating or reciprocating equipment, magnetohydrodynamic engines produce power directly—without mechanical motion. The principle mechanism underlying this concept begins with the selective ionization of gas components; these ions then pass through a magnetic field and are redirected to generate current. The gas maintains a constant supersonic velocity during this energy extraction process until discharged at near atmospheric temperatures and pressure. This forum gives an overview of magnetohyrdodynamics and highlights recent advances relevant to modern power systems. Presenter: Dr. Rigel Woodside, NETL
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Biography
Dr. Rigel Woodside
Rigel Woodside is a scientist, engineer, and inventor with broad technical expertise and experience leading R&D endeavors focused on developing advanced energy systems, simulations, and measurement systems. He has been employed as a Research General Engineer at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Albany, Oregon since 2010. Currently, Rigel is the technical portfolio leader for a ~1.5M/year multi-disciplinary group investigating magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy conversion. The effort has resulted in numerous peer-reviewed papers and conference proceedings as well as the development of unique capabilities at NETL. This includes a computational MHD engineering performance code and a functional laboratory to conduct MHD testing. As part of the portfolio, Rigel has mentored over 10 graduate students, post docs, and university professors through NETL’s ORISE and CIESESE educational programs. Rigel was also a key researcher at the Jupiter Oxygen oxy-coal pilot scale demonstration project in Hammond, Indiana. Completed in 2013, this project successfully demonstrated the retrofit of an existing boiler to use oxy-coal combustion with integrated flue gas clean-up and carbon dioxide capture.
Rigel is also a courtesy faulty member in the Mechanical Engineering department at Oregon State University. Rigel has a B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University. Prior to attending graduate school, Rigel worked for 5 years developing advanced measurement systems as a Project Engineer at Precision Measurements and Instruments Corporation. Currently, he serves as the Chief Technology Officer for Ampere Scientific, which is a technology start-up company focused on commercializing his patented arc position sensing technology. This technology was first developed at NETL under an industrial partnership to improve the arc melting process for advanced alloy production. The effort at NETL won several accolades including an R&D100 award in 2013, an FLC outstanding technology award in 2013, and an FLC commercialization award in 2017. Rigel is also a musician that enjoys spending time in his home studio and playing drum set for the Space Neighbors, a popular local band.