Codename: Anduril

Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

Magneto Hydrodynamic Wave Energy Conversion 1AC

All throughout the ages, from the ancient Babylonians to modern times, the
ocean has been harnessed, directed, and tied to the very existence of life.
Unfortunately, humans are also the main cause of the loss of biodiversity in the
ocean, and the United States needs new sources of energy that can replace the
fossil fuels that we mainly use, so my partner and I have decided that a plan of
magneto hydrodynamic electric generators are best suited to solve these problems.
Therefore my partner and I are in affirmation of the resolution: the United States
federal government should substantially increase its non-military development of
the Earth's oceans.

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

Contention I, Significance, the harms in the status quo

A. Wave energy conversion currently implemented in the status quo is
harming biodiversity
Environmental Impacts of Hydrokinetic Energy, http://www.ucsusa.org/, Union of
Concerned Scientists Science for a Healthy Planet and Safer World. Accessed
November 16, 2014, <http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewableenergy/environmental-impacts-hydrokinetic-energy.html#.VGkx4vnF_uw>

Wave energy installations require large expanses of ocean space, which

competes with other usessuch as fishing and shippingand causes damage to
marine life and habitats. Some tidal energy technologies are located at the mouths
of ecologically-sensitive estuary systems, which could cause changes in hydrology
and salinity that negatively impact animal and plant life.
So the current technology for wave energy is actually harming our environment.
B. Wave Energy Conversion (WEC) technology takes up large expanses
of ocean space and contributes to pollution in the ocean when
broken or when its usability is over.
Dr. Beyene, Asfet CHALLENGES AND ISSUES OF WAVE ENERGY CONVERSION,
http://www.oceanenergycouncil.com/.Published March 3, 2014. Accessed October
16, 2014. <http://www.oceanenergycouncil.com/challenges-issues-wave-energyconversion/>
One of the major obstacles with the wave energy converter is the area of the
ocean this technology must be spread to generate a considerable amount of energy.
It is recommended that this technology be placed in a large number for that part
also. However the drawbacks of these types of installments are numerous. In a
study it was found that once the technology had outlived its mechanical lifespan it
would gradually wear way and become part of the pollution in the ocean .From this
we can gather that wave energy conversion in the status quo is actually hurting the
oceans and marine environment.
C. The world is rapidly running out of fossil fuels.

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014
End of Fossil Fuels, Ecotricity.co.uk, Accessed October 11, 2014
<https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/energy-independence/the-end-offossil-fuels>
Globally every year we currently consume the equivalent of over 11 billion
tonnes of oil in fossil fuels. Crude oil reserves are vanishing at the rate of 4 billion
tonnes a year. If we carry on at this rate our known oil deposits will be gone by
2052. But the rate at which the world consumes fossil fuels is not standing still, it is
increasing as the world's population increases and as living standards rise in parts
of the world that until recently had consumed very little energy. Fossil fuels will
therefore run out earlier.
We must look to new sources of energy as our current sources, fossil fuels, will run
by 2052 at the latest.

Contention II, Inherency, the barrier in the status quo

A. Funding for ocean research and energy has been cut and is at
an all-time low in the United States
McCain, Craig We Need an Ocean NASA Now Pt.1,
http://deepseanews.com/, Accessed November 17, 2014. Craig McClain, the
Assistant Director of Science for the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center,
Published October 16, 2014. <http://deepseanews.com/2014/10/we-need-an-ocean-nasa-now-pt-1/>
What limits our expansion of the oceans is not imagination or
resources but funding. We as a society started to make a choice: to
deprioritize ocean exploration and science. In general, science in the U.S. is
poorly funded; while the total number of dollars spent here is large, we only
rank 6th in world in the proportion of gross domestic products invested into
research. The outlook for ocean science is even bleaker. In many cases,
funding of marine science, energy, and exploration, especially for the deep
sea, are at historical lows. So our inherency show there are clears barriers in
the status quo that prevent this plan from coming into effect.

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

Now lets look at the actual plan to solve for the problems
presented in the Significance.
Plank 1, Mandates: The United States federal government should
substantially increase its development of the Earth's oceans by redirecting
funding to and building magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) electric generators on
the coast in Florida, California, Oregon, Atlanta and the area surrounding it,
and on the Gulf of Mexico beginning in fiscal year 2014-2015.
Plank 2, Funding: The United States will redirect 250 million dollars from
fossil fuel subsidies beginning at the start of FY 2015 ( 4.8% cut of the
current amount) towards this plan which will cover all costs such as: capital
costs, project development costs, running costs, and training costs.
Plank 3, Enforcement: The U.S. Department of Energy and the Scientific
Applications and Research Associates, Incorporated (SARA).
Plank 4, Legislative Intent: The affirmative sides reserves the right for
clarification and requests that all off-case positions be run in the first
negative constructive for reasons of fair debate.

Contention III, Solvency

A. MHD electric generators will produce electricity from saline
ocean currents reducing our dependency on fossil fuels.
Takeda, Minoru Seawater Magneto hydrodynamics Power Generator /
Hydrogen Generator Minoru Takeda, Graduate School of Maritime Sciences,
Kobe University, Accessed November 17, 2014 /PDF file.
<10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.75>
A seawater magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) power generator is
expected to become popular with the development of superconducting

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

technology because of low loss and high efficiency [of energy].A seawater
magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) power generator is a unique system that not
only directly transforms the kinetic energy of an [saline] ocean current / tidal
current into electric energy but also generates hydrogen gas as a by-product,
(more on that later). The energy of the ocean current / tidal currents is
expected to be effective as a sustainable, renewable energy source because
of its independence of both weather and season in comparison with solar
energy and wind power energy. Now my partner and I would like to take the
time to explain how a magneto hydrodynamic generator works. Basically a
rotating metal axis, which transfers the motion of the saltwater into
electricity to the generator, is suspended in between two magnets of
opposite polarities (North and South) by the electromagnetic field created by
electrical currents sent throughout the conducting saltwater. (Note the
electrical currents are contained by an insulator which allows the saltwater
to pass through but not the current as the water leaves the generator so no
harm is conceived despite what the negative side may say.)
B. MHD generators are not harmful to biodiversity and do not
pollute the environment.
Samuel O. Mathew, Obed C. Dike , Emmanuel U Akabuogu , and Jemima N.
Ogwo MAGNETO HYDRODYNAMICS POWER GENERATION USING SALT
WATER http://www.ajsc.leena-luna.co.jp/. Accessed November 17, 2014 <
http://www.ajsc.leena-luna.co.jp/AJSCPDFs/Vol.1(4)/AJSC2012(1.4-09).pdf>

Harnessing power by employing an MHD generator with salt water as

its fluid conductor is hugely advantageous in that the source is renewable, it
requires no external energy input to facilitate its operation, it has no exterior
moving parts and as such does not contribute to mortality of aquatic
organisms and finally, it does not pose problems of pollution. Therefore MHD
generators do not present threats to their environments that conventional
wave energy converters and ocean turbines do.
C. MHD generators produce huge amounts of electricity and could
potentially power one-third of the United States.
Concentrating Solar Power Utility (CSPU)
http://concentratingsolarpowerutility.com/ Accessed November 17, 2014. <
http://concentratingsolarpowerutility.com/>

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

The big difference with MHD for green energy or just energy conversion
is that it has the potential for such high efficiencies (55-65%). Other
technologies are resorting to rare and expensive materials or complicated
optics to squeeze out incremental changes. The American wave and tidal
industry has the potential to meet roughly one-third of all U.S. electricity
needs, and MHD generators have a large part to play in the conversion of
this electricity. So implementing this technology could allow for the United
States to transfer to more environmental friendly energy sources.

Now we move to Contention IV, Advantages, the extra benefits of

our plan

A. A by-product of MHD generators is hydrogen gas which can

be stored or burned in fuel cells for electricity.
Dennis Luimes, Timothy Vervoort, Stephan Maat, Rick Smits Report Magneto
Hydrodynamics http://www.maritimesymposium-rotterdam.nl/ Published
November 1, 2012. Accessed November 17, 2014.
<http://www.maritimesymposiumrotterdam.nl/uploads/Route/Magneto%20Hydrodynamics.pdf>

Hydrogen gas generated in the MHD system will be generated due to

electrolysis of the water. The electrical current will flow through the water
from the positive electrode to the negative electrode. Because of the salinity
of the water this process will produce more hydrogen gas because of the
higher conductivity and therefore greater reaction. However hydrogen gas is

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

the most interesting byproduct, it isnt the only gas formed by the
electrolysis. Oxygen is also formed and is therefore no problem for man or
environment. So not only do we create electricity from the ocean currents,
we also can acquire hydrogen gas which can be stored in fuel cells giving us
a bonus source of energy.
Finally we sum up our case by saying magneto hydrodynamic
generators will substantially increase the development of the ocean by
eliminating the harms presented by conventional wave energy converters
and wave turbines while at the same time generating large amounts of
electricity that we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. For these
reasons and the many others outlined in the case, we urge the judge to vote
for the affirmative.

Case Evidence
Significance
A. Wave energy conversion currently implemented in the status
quo is harming biodiversity
Environmental Impacts of Hydrokinetic Energy, http://www.ucsusa.org/,
Union of Concerned Scientists Science for a Healthy Planet and Safer World.
Accessed November 16, 2014. <http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewableenergy/environmental-impacts-hydrokinetic-energy.html#.VGkx4vnF_uw>

For
example, wave energy installations can require large expanses of ocean space,
which could compete with other usessuch as fishing and shippingand cause
damage to marine life and habitats. Some tidal energy technologies are located at
the mouths of ecologically-sensitive estuary systems, which could cause changes in
hydrology and salinity that negatively impact animal and plant life. In addition, while
The actual impacts of large-scale wave energy technologies are very detrimental to marine environments.

estimates for life-cycle global warming emissions for wave and tidal power are preliminary, published research
suggests that they would be below 0.05 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour. To put this into
context, estimates of life-cycle global warming emissions for natural gas generated electricity are between 0.6 and
2 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour and estimates for coal-generated electricity are 1.4 and 3.6
pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour.

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

B. Wave Energy Conversion (WEC) technology takes up large

expanses of ocean space and contributes to pollution in the
ocean when broken or when its usability is over.
Dr. Beyene, Asfet CHALLENGES AND ISSUES OF WAVE ENERGY
CONVERSION, http://www.oceanenergycouncil.com/.Published March 3,
2014. Accessed October 16, 2014. <http://www.oceanenergycouncil.com/challengesissues-wave-energy-conversion/>
Lack of data makes it difficult or impossible to mark the optimum locations for WECs. Visual inspections could lead
to places with good but short-term yield or to places with sporadic surges exceeding the safety threshold. These
unavoidable variations in wave parameters also impose changes in WEC outputs. When the WEC runs at wave
conditions below what it is designed for, it is called part-load operation. Similarly, wave conditions exceeding design
conditions impose overload operation. At these two operating conditions, WEC output is reduced (i.e., the energy

One of
the major obstacles with the wave energy converter is the area of the ocean this
technology must be spread to generate a considerable amount of energy. It is
recommended that this technology be placed in a large number for that part also.
However the drawbacks of these types of installments are numerous. In a study it
was found that once the technology had outlived its mechanical lifespan it would
gradually wear way and become part of the pollution in the ocean. One of the most critical
conversion efficiency drops). The overload could also lead to significant structural damage. In addition,

challenges to developing WEC technology in California is the lack of research support to motivate coordinated
efforts in advancing the technology. In contrast, the European Commission has increased its support for WEC
projects since the beginning of the Joule Program.2,3 The last decade of research and development represented
more than 20 large projects backed by hundreds of millions of dollars. The Atlas of Wave Energy Resource in
Europe and the Exploitation of Tidal and Marine Currents are two prime contributions of the last decade. The
European combined efforts also produced two outstanding pilot projects: the Pico and the Limpet plants now in
operation. Furthermore, in 1999, the European Commission invited 14 wave energy representatives from various
European countries to cooperate in the European Thematic Network on Wave Energy. The project addresses
important scientific, technical and economic issues and aims to produce a variety of guidelines in the areas of
standards, recommendations, software, research and development, support base and outreach. Research and
development on WECs is also conducted in a number of countries outside Europe, including Australia, Canada,
China, India, Israel, Japan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Mexico and Russia. The United States has little WEC
research in progress, and no large deployment is anticipated in the near future. Government and institutional
support has been modest.

C. The world is rapidly running out of fossil fuels.

Globally every year we
currently consume the equivalent of over 11 billion tonnes of oil in fossil fuels.
Crude oil reserves are vanishing at the rate of 4 billion tonnes a year. If we carry on
at this rate without any increase for our growing population or aspirations, our
known oil deposits will be gone by 2052. Well still have gas left, and coal too. But if we increase gas
Clearly fossil fuel reserves are finite - it's only a matter of when they run out.

production to fill the energy gap left by oil, then those reserves will only give us an additional eight years, taking us
to 2060.

But the rate at which the world consumes fossil fuels is not standing still, it is

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014
increasing as the world's population increases and as living standards rise in parts
of the world that until recently had consumed very little energy. Fossil Fuels will
therefore run out earlier. Its often claimed that we have enough coal to last hundreds of years. But if we
step up production to fill the gap left through depleting our oil and gas reserves, the coal deposits we know about
will only give us enough energy to take us as far as 2088. And lets not even think of the carbon dioxide emissions
from burning all that coal.

Inherency
A. Funding for ocean research and energy has been cut and is at
an all-time low in the United States.
Our nation faces a pivotal moment in exploration of the oceans. The most remote regions of the deep oceans

What limits our

expansion of the oceans is not imagination or resources but funding. We as a
society started to make a choice: to deprioritize ocean exploration and science. In
general, science in the U.S. is poorly funded; while the total number of dollars spent
here is large, we only rank 6th in world in the proportion of gross domestic products
invested into research. The outlook for ocean science is even bleaker. In many
cases, funding of marine science, energy, and exploration, especially for the deep
sea, are at historical lows. In others, funding remains stagnant, despite rising costs of equipment and
should be more accessible now than ever due to engineering and technological advances.

personnel.The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, a committee comprised of leading ocean scientists, policy makers,
and former U.S. secretaries and congressmen, gave the grade of D- to funding of ocean science in the U.S.
Recently the Obama Administration proposed to cut the National Undersea Research Program (NURP) within NOAA,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a move supported by the Senate. In NOAAs own words,
NOAA determined that NURP was a lower-priority function within its portfolio of research activities. Yet, NURP is
one of the main suppliers of funding and equipment for ocean exploration, including both submersibles at the
Hawaiian Underwater Research Laboratory and the underwater habitat Aquarius. This cut has come despite an
overall request for a 3.1% increase in funding for NOAA. Cutting NURP saves a meager $4,000,000 or 1/10 of
NOAAs budget and 1,675 times less than we spend on the Afghan war in just one month.

Solvency
A. MHD electric generators will produce electricity from saline
ocean currents reducing our dependency on fossil fuels.
Takeda, Minoru Seawater Magneto hydrodynamics Power Generator /
Hydrogen Generator Minoru Takeda, Graduate School of Maritime Sciences,
Kobe University, Accessed November 17, 2014 /PDF file.
<10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.75>
A seawater magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) power generator / hydrogen generator
is expected to become popular with the development of superconducting
technology because of low loss and high efficiency. We have designed a new helical-type
seawater MHD generator using a solenoid superconducting magnet, by considering the experimental results for a

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014
helical-type MHD ship. The experimental and computational results for the helical-type generator including the

A seawater magneto
hydrodynamics (MHD) power generator / hydrogen generator is a unique system
that not only directly transforms the kinetic energy of an ocean current / tidal
current into electric energy but also generates hydrogen gas as a by-product. The
energy of the ocean current / tidal current is expected to be effective as a
sustainable energy source because of its independence of both weather and season
in comparison with solar energy and wind power energy. It is great importance for an oceanic
results of a recent study on hydraulic characteristics are discussed.

country such as Japan to develop the seawater MHD generator based on the sustainable ocean current / tidal
current energy. In our work, experimental and computational studies on a seawater MHD generator using a
superconducting magnet have been performed to investigate the application of superconductivity to maritime
sciences. So far, a linear-type seawater MHD generator with a dipole superconducting magnet was constructed and
experiments on power generation were successfully accomplished.

B. MHD generators are not harmful to biodiversity and do not

pollute the environment.
Samuel O. Mathew, Obed C. Dike , Emmanuel U Akabuogu , and Jemima N. Ogwo
MAGNETO HYDRODYNAMICS POWER GENERATION USING SALT WATER
http://www.ajsc.leena-luna.co.jp/. Accessed November 17, 2014
<http://www.ajsc.leena-luna.co.jp/AJSCPDFs/Vol.1(4)/AJSC2012(1.4-09).pdf>
In a closed cycle of MHD, the fluid is continuously recirculated through a compressor; the fluid consists of a
heated or seeded noble gas or liquid metal. Our proposed MHD generator is one whose fluid conductor is saltwater.
This is because of the huge abundance of saltwater Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. Nigeria is highly dependent on
fossils for power generation. This of course is a nonrenewable source and has a major drawback of which air

Harnessing power by employing an MHD generator with salt water as

its fluid conductor is hugely in that the source is renewable, it requires no external
energy to facilitate its operation, it has no moving parts and as such does not
contribute to mortality of aquatic organisms and finally, it does not pose problems
of pollution. MHD generation requires the motion of conducting fluid such as sea water. Thus the presence of
pollution is lead.

the Atlantic in Nigeria makes it a viable method of power generation in the country, in as much as the necessary
physical conditions of high conductivity and flow speed can be met.

C. MHD generators produce huge amounts of electricity and

could potentially power one-third of the United States.
Concentrating Solar Power Utility (CSPU)
http://concentratingsolarpowerutility.com/ Accessed November 17, 2014.

<

http://concentratingsolarpowerutility.com/>
Develop and commercialize best practice concentrated solar technology with expert partners with the use
of staged cycle (Braydon: micro turbine and potentially organic Rankin and solar AC). Solar/Biodiesel 2 - MHDElectric Systems: Magneto hydrodynamics - MHD topping cycle generators to increase the efficiency of existing
power plants.

The big difference with MHD for green energy or just energy

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014

conversion is that we have the potential for such high efficiencies. Other
technologies are resorting to rare and expensive materials or complicated
optics to squeeze out incremental changes(55-65%). Our revolutionary MHD Energy
Conversion Device can use any heat source, such as solar, geothermal, combustion of a fuel (e.g., oil, coal, or
natural gas), chemical reaction or even high-grade waste heat and directly converts such heat source into
electricity through an MHD technique. Essentially, our method uses heat (ideally the free heat of concentrated
sunlight) to create electricity. In an nutshell, this technology has been proven to work as early as the 1970s.
However, it is only now that materials are available and sufficient in order to achieve efficiencies beyond fossil fuels
and other alternative fuel sources. CSPU is setting the benchmarks for innovative game-changing transformation
technologies. Our scientists and engineers are developing many new exciting products, that optimizes efficiency,
including MHD products that will be used in many different industries, such as power, transportation and Magneto-

The American wave and tidal

industry, which has the potential to meet roughly one-third of all U.S. electricity
Hydrodynamics rocket engines for future spacecraft propulsion systems.

needs, and MHD generators have a large part to play in the conversion of
this electricity.
Advantages
A. A by-product of MHD generators is hydrogen gas which can be
stored or burned in fuel cells for electricity.
Dennis Luimes, Timothy Vervoort, Stephan Maat, Rick Smits Report Magneto
Hydrodynamics http://www.maritimesymposium-rotterdam.nl/ Published
November 1, 2012. Accessed November 17, 2014.
<http://www.maritimesymposiumrotterdam.nl/uploads/Route/Magneto%20Hydrodynamics.pdf>
This type of gas was discovered by Robert Boyle in 1671 after the reaction of iron with an acid that resulted in the
production of hydrogen gas. This gas was called flammable air. In later studies and experiments researchers
found out that burning this gas produces water. This study indicated that environmental problems concerning
carbon dioxide could be reduced using this system. Another typical effect this gas has is the unique sounding

Hydrogen gas generated in the MHD

system In this system the gas will be generated due to electrolysis of the
water. The electrical current will flow through the water from the positive
electrode to the negative electrode. Because of the salinity of the water this
process will produce more hydrogen gas because of the higher conductivity
and therefore greater reaction. However hydrogen gas is the most interesting
byproduct. It isnt the only gas formed by the electrolysis. Oxygen is also
formed and is therefore no problem for man or environment. The gas is scentless,
explosion it produces, recognizable by the popping sound.

colorless and tasteless and is therefore very hard to detect. In open air the gas doesnt form much of a risk because
of the molecular weight of the gas. Its 14 times lighter than our normal breathing air and will therefore rise and
scatter In the open air.

Extra Evidence: {to be used as needed}

Codename: Anduril
Niteesh Kuchakulla
Harveer Singh
7th period Forensics
Mr.Regier
November 22,2014
Park, David Innovative Battery and Energy Technologies Accessed October 19 th,
2014/ David Park serves as the chief engineer of energy development at UKENERGY.
http://www.mpoweruk.com/. Published January 4, 2013. Stanford
University/Published.
<<http://www.researchgate.net/publication/3800332_MHD_pulsed_power_generation_-_land_systems_UK>
With the ever-increasing need of industrialized nations for power, and with the increasing problems posed
by conventional sources of power, the development of new power sources is of critical importance. One such power
source is that offered by flowing saline water--ocean currents, tides, waves, etc. It has been estimated that the total
wave power alone available in the world's oceans may be as high as 9010^15 watts--indeed an immense amount
of power--and that the renewal rate of this power source alone is on the order of 10^12 to 10^13 watts. Saline
water power is clean, safe and permanent. Certainly then, the kinetic energy of saline water potentially could be
quite important as a power source. Yet, while there is an increasing interest in this potential source of power, few
practical systems presently exist to extract any significant amount of power from the world's restless oceans.

MHD power generators, in addition to being very inexpensive to other

technologies, only take 3-6 months to build. These generators are a versatile type of
technology that can work in most environments while keeping ecological balance. MHD generators are
built for a greater efficiency (55-65%) than other such types such as steam
generators (37%), ocean turbines (32%), wind turbines (41%), and tidal
power conversion (25%) systems since all these technologies utilized
external moving parts that contribute to a loss of efficiency due to friction
and heat conversion. The average MHD generator harnessing saline
energy creates approximately 9.534 megawatts of power/ hour, and with
higher efficiency rates could possible rival natural gas (36 gallons of
natural gas releases 13.7 megawatts/hour upon ignition) and the oil
industry in the future. These kinds of innovative technologies will hopefully become a sign that our
world doesnt have to become polluted just to keep a normal lifestyle.