How does magnetohydrodynamics work?

The study of the magnetic characteristics of electrically conductive liquids is known as magnetohydrodynamics, or MHD.

The MHD drive, as portrayed in works of fiction like Clive Cussler's Oregon adventures, is its most widely used application.

A ship that wants to use an MHD drive must have a tube that is open at both ends and runs from front to back. For example, on a seagoing ship, the tube would be below the waterline. Sea water can flow through the tube because it conducts electricity. Next, the MHD drive needs to surround the pipe with a strong magnetic field, then run a large electric current through the liquid in the pipe. This interaction between the electric current and the magnetic field creates an electromotive force in the liquid, which causes it to flow along the pipe and towards the ship's rear.

With the current state of technology, the MHD drive is not really feasible because the necessary equipment to generate the electric current and magnetic field would be too large and costly.

An MHD drive can also be used to power a spacecraft by substituting electrically conductive gases, such as plasma or ionized gas, for the water.

Physics' magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) describes the behavior of electrically conducting fluids (like plasmas) in the presence of magnetic fields. MHD is used in fusion research, engineering, and astrophysics, among other fields. It describes the interactions between the fluid motion and the magnetic fields, which can induce electric currents and vice versa.