Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle
Carbon dioxide’s (CO<sub>2</sub>) ability to reach the supercritical phase (7.39 MPa and 304.15 K) with low thermal energy input is an advantageous feature in power generation design, allowing for the use of various heat sources in the cycle. A small-scale supercritical carbon dioxide (s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3580 |
| _version_ | 1797500146734333952 |
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| author | Raj C. Patel Diego C. Bass Ganza Prince Dukuze Angelina Andrade Christopher S. Combs |
| author_facet | Raj C. Patel Diego C. Bass Ganza Prince Dukuze Angelina Andrade Christopher S. Combs |
| author_sort | Raj C. Patel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Carbon dioxide’s (CO<sub>2</sub>) ability to reach the supercritical phase (7.39 MPa and 304.15 K) with low thermal energy input is an advantageous feature in power generation design, allowing for the use of various heat sources in the cycle. A small-scale supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) power cycle operating on the principle of a closed-loop Brayton cycle is currently under construction at The University of Texas at San Antonio, to design and develop a small-scale indirect-fired sCO<sub>2</sub> Brayton cycle, acquire validation data of the cycle’s performance, and compare the cycle’s performance to other cycles operating in similar conditions. The power cycle consists of four principal components: A reciprocating piston compressor, a heating source, a reciprocating piston expander to produce power, and a heat exchanger to dissipate excess heat. The work explained in the present manuscript describes the theory and analysis conducted to design the piston expander, heating source, and heat exchanger in the cycle. Theoretical calculations indicate that using sCO<sub>2</sub> for the Brayton cycle generates 4.5 kW of power with the inlet pressure and temperature of 17.23 MPa and 358.15 K to the piston expander. Based on the fully isentropic conditions, the thermal efficiency of the system is estimated to be 12.75%. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:57:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14c4ba32cdba422dadbd7c68d890aef7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:57:41Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-14c4ba32cdba422dadbd7c68d890aef72023-11-23T10:50:16ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-05-011510358010.3390/en15103580Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton CycleRaj C. Patel0Diego C. Bass1Ganza Prince Dukuze2Angelina Andrade3Christopher S. Combs4Department of Mechanical Engineering, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Margie and Bill Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USACarbon dioxide’s (CO<sub>2</sub>) ability to reach the supercritical phase (7.39 MPa and 304.15 K) with low thermal energy input is an advantageous feature in power generation design, allowing for the use of various heat sources in the cycle. A small-scale supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) power cycle operating on the principle of a closed-loop Brayton cycle is currently under construction at The University of Texas at San Antonio, to design and develop a small-scale indirect-fired sCO<sub>2</sub> Brayton cycle, acquire validation data of the cycle’s performance, and compare the cycle’s performance to other cycles operating in similar conditions. The power cycle consists of four principal components: A reciprocating piston compressor, a heating source, a reciprocating piston expander to produce power, and a heat exchanger to dissipate excess heat. The work explained in the present manuscript describes the theory and analysis conducted to design the piston expander, heating source, and heat exchanger in the cycle. Theoretical calculations indicate that using sCO<sub>2</sub> for the Brayton cycle generates 4.5 kW of power with the inlet pressure and temperature of 17.23 MPa and 358.15 K to the piston expander. Based on the fully isentropic conditions, the thermal efficiency of the system is estimated to be 12.75%.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3580supercritical carbon dioxideBrayton cycleefficiencypiston expanderdesign |
| spellingShingle | Raj C. Patel Diego C. Bass Ganza Prince Dukuze Angelina Andrade Christopher S. Combs Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle Energies supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle efficiency piston expander design |
| title | Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle |
| title_full | Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle |
| title_fullStr | Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle |
| title_short | Analysis and Development of a Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO<sub>2</sub>) Brayton Cycle |
| title_sort | analysis and development of a small scale supercritical carbon dioxide sco sub 2 sub brayton cycle |
| topic | supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle efficiency piston expander design |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3580 |
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