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A comparative study on effectiveness method and pinch analysis method in the thermodynamic investigation of supercritical CO2 power cycle

Author

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  • Xing, Jiajing
  • Li, Chengyu
  • Wang, Youtang
  • He, Fang

Abstract

The special physical properties of supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) near the pseudocritical region lay a complex impact on the internal heat recovery and overall cycle performance of the S-CO2 Brayton cycle. The effectiveness method and pinch analysis method are commonly used for modeling heat exchangers, and a comparative evaluation between the two methods is conducted comprehensively for the S-CO2 Brayton cycle in this study. Firstly, the applicability of two effectiveness methods, i.e., the temperature difference-based effectiveness method (TDEM) and the enthalpy difference-based effectiveness method (EDEM), for S-CO2 Brayton cycle is discussed. Secondly, the influence of key parameters on the internal thermal matching characteristics of recuperators is investigated based on the effectiveness method and pinch analysis, respectively. Finally, a comparative analysis of the two methods applied to cycle optimization is carried out. The results indicate that the TDEM is not well-suited for scenarios involving working fluids with varying heat capacities, although it has been widely used in prior studies for S-CO2 Brayton cycle analysis. The EDEM would result in a negative heat transfer temperature difference when the recuperator operates under high effectiveness and significant heat capacity variations, leading to potentially misleading conclusions. In contrast, pinch analysis method can effectively avoid the negative heat transfer temperature difference. Upon comparison, the two methods exhibit substantial differences in both the patterns of influence and optimization outcomes for cycle parameters. This study highlights the limitations of the effectiveness method in modeling heat exchangers with fluids of varying properties and offers detailed guidance on hypothetical methods for heat exchanger models within the S-CO2 Brayton cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Xing, Jiajing & Li, Chengyu & Wang, Youtang & He, Fang, 2025. "A comparative study on effectiveness method and pinch analysis method in the thermodynamic investigation of supercritical CO2 power cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:341:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225049928
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.139350
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    References listed on IDEAS

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