Steady-State Power Operation of a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle

Abstract

Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation (BMPC) is testing a supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) Brayton system at the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. The Integrated System Test (IST) is a two shaft recuperated closed Brayton cycle with a variable speed turbine driven compressor and a constant speed turbine driven generator using S-CO2 as the working fluid designed to output 100 kWe. The main focus of the IST is to demonstrate operational, control and performance characteristics of an S-CO2 Brayton power cycle over a wide range of conditions. IST operation has reached the point where the system can be operated with the turbine-compressor thermal-hydraulically balanced so that the net output of the system is equal to the turbine-generator output. In this operating mode, power level is changed by using the compressor recirculation valve which changes the fraction of compressor flow that goes to the turbines. Steady-state operation with the turbine-compressor thermal hydraulically balanced at near zero net system power is presented.