Dual-Loop sCO2 System for High-Efficiency Power Conversion
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Summary
Problems
Existing power conversion systems, such as the Rankine cycle, have an upper limit of 42% thermal-to-electric efficiency, and while supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycles show promise, they require high turbine inlet temperatures and have low efficiency in simpler forms.
Innovation solutions
A power conversion system with a dual-loop configuration using sCO2 in both loops, incorporating multiple recuperators and heaters, achieves higher efficiency by transferring enthalpy between loops and utilizing a secondary loop to preheat compressed fluids, with a nuclear reactor as a thermal energy source.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If a simple sCO2 Brayton cycle is used, then the system structure is simple, but the thermal-to-electric efficiency is very low and does not approach the best efficiency of a steam Rankine cycle
Why choose this principle:
The power conversion system is divided into two separate loops: a first loop and a second loop. Each loop has its own compressor, heater, turbine, and recuperator. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each loop while achieving overall high efficiency through interloop heat transfer.
Principle concept:
If a simple sCO2 Brayton cycle is used, then the system structure is simple, but the thermal-to-electric efficiency is very low and does not approach the best efficiency of a steam Rankine cycle
Why choose this principle:
An interloop heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary component between the first and second loops. This heat exchanger transfers thermal energy from the second loop to the first loop, enabling efficient heat recovery and preheating without direct fluid mixing, thus resolving the efficiency limitation of simple cycles.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A power conversion system with a dual-loop configuration using sCO2 in both loops, incorporating multiple recuperators and heaters, achieves higher efficiency by transferring enthalpy between loops and utilizing a secondary loop to preheat compressed fluids, with a nuclear reactor as a thermal energy source.
Abstract
A power conversion system includes a closed first loop and a closed second loop. The first loop includes a first compressor, a first recuperator in parallel with an interloop heat exchanger, a first heater, a first turbine, and the first recuperator arranged in series. The first recuperator transfers enthalpy from an expanded portion of a first working fluid to a compressed portion of the first working fluid. The second loop includes a second compressor, a second recuperator, a second heater, a second turbine, the second recuperator, and the interloop heat exchanger, arranged in series. The second recuperator transfers enthalpy from an expanded portion of a second working fluid to a compressed portion of the second working fluid, and the interloop heat exchanger transfers enthalpy from the second working fluid to the first working fluid.