Research on the Development of the Supercritical CO2 Dual Brayton Cycle

Because of the growing interest in supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle technology owing to its potential enhancement in compactness and efficiency, supercritical carbon dioxide cycles have been studied in the fields of nuclear power, concentrated solar power (CSP), and fossil fuel power generation. This study introduces the current status of the research project on the supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle by Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER). During the first phase of the project, the un-recuperated supercritical Brayton cycle test loop was built and tested. In phase two, researchers are designing and building a supercritical carbon dioxide dual Brayton cycle, which utilizes two turbines and two recuperators. Under the simulation condition considered in this study, it was confirmed that the design parameter has an optimal value for maximizing the net power in the supercritical carbon dioxide dual cycle.