For the concentrating solar power (CSP) applications, the supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) power cycle is beneficial in many aspects, including high cycle efficiencies, reduced component sizing, and potential for the dry cooling option. More research is involved in improving this technology to realize the s-CO2 cycle as a candidate to replace the conventional power conversion systems for CSP applications. In this study, an isothermal compressor, a turbomachine which undergoes the compression process at constant temperature to minimize compression work, is applied to the s-CO2 power cycle layout. To investigate the cycle performance changes of adopting the novel technology, a framework for defining the efficiency of the isothermal compressor is revised and suggested. This study demonstrates how the compression work for the isothermal compressor is reduced, up to 50%, compared to that of the conventional compressor under varying compressor inlet conditions. Furthermore, the simple recuperated and recompression Brayton cycle layouts using s-CO2 as a working fluid are evaluated for the CSP applications. Results show that for compressor inlet temperatures (CIT) near the critical point, the recompression Brayton cycle using an isothermal compressor has 0.2–1.0% point higher cycle thermal efficiency compared to its reference cycle. For higher CIT values, the recompression cycle using an isothermal compressor can perform above 50% in thermal efficiency for a wider range of CIT than the reference cycle. Adopting an isothermal compressor in the s-CO2 layout can imply larger heat exchange area for the compressor which requires further development.
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July 2018
Research-Article
A Study of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle for Concentrating Solar Power Applications Using an Isothermal Compressor
Jin Young Heo,
Jin Young Heo
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jyh9090@kaist.ac.kr
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jyh9090@kaist.ac.kr
Search for other works by this author on:
Jinsu Kwon,
Jinsu Kwon
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and
Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and
Quantum Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jinsukwon@kaist.ac.kr
Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and
Quantum Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jinsukwon@kaist.ac.kr
Search for other works by this author on:
Jeong Ik Lee
Jeong Ik Lee
Mem. ASME
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jeongiklee@kaist.ac.kr
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jeongiklee@kaist.ac.kr
Search for other works by this author on:
Jin Young Heo
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jyh9090@kaist.ac.kr
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jyh9090@kaist.ac.kr
Jinsu Kwon
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and
Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and
Quantum Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jinsukwon@kaist.ac.kr
Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and
Quantum Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jinsukwon@kaist.ac.kr
Jeong Ik Lee
Mem. ASME
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jeongiklee@kaist.ac.kr
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology KAIST,
Department of Nuclear and Quantum
Engineering,
291 Daehak-ro,
Daejeon 34141, Yuseong-gu, South Korea
e-mail: jeongiklee@kaist.ac.kr
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Cycle Innovations Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR GAS TURBINES AND POWER. Manuscript received August 10, 2017; final manuscript received September 6, 2017; published online April 10, 2018. Editor: David Wisler.
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Jul 2018, 140(7): 071702 (8 pages)
Published Online: April 10, 2018
Article history
Received:
August 10, 2017
Revised:
September 6, 2017
Citation
Young Heo, J., Kwon, J., and Ik Lee, J. (April 10, 2018). "A Study of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle for Concentrating Solar Power Applications Using an Isothermal Compressor." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. July 2018; 140(7): 071702. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4038476
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