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Experimental Study and Performance Analysis of a Recuperative Supercritical CO 2 Brayton Cycle

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  • Shucheng Zhang

    (Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 519082, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Juntao Ke

    (Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 519082, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Min Liu

    (Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 519082, China)

  • Pingjian Ming

    (Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 519082, China)

  • Guopeng Yu

    (Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 519082, China)

Abstract

To investigate the operational characteristics of the supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO 2 ) Brayton cycle and enhance its applicability in practical operating conditions for micro-scale reactors, an experimental platform for a recuperative S-CO 2 Brayton cycle is constructed and investigated. Several controllable operational parameters, including compressor pump frequency, expansion valve opening, and electric heating power, each intrinsically linked to the thermal characteristics of its corresponding equipment, as well as the cooling water flow rate, are systematically adjusted and analyzed. Experimental results demonstrate that the cooling water flow rate has a significantly greater impact on the temperature and pressure of the cycle system compared to other operational parameters. Based on these findings, steady-state experiments are conducted within a pressure range of 8 MPa to 15 MPa and a temperature range of 70 °C to 150 °C. It is observed that the heat exchange capacity of the recuperator decreases as the cooling water flow rate is reduced, suggesting that sufficient cooling efficiency is required to maximize the recuperative function. Under the condition of a maximum system temperature of 150 °C, the isentropic efficiency of the expansion valve decreases with an increase in the inlet pressure of the valve. However, the overall thermal efficiency of the cycle system requires further calculation and assessment following the optimization of the experimental platform. The result of validation of experimental results is less than 20%. The findings presented in this study offer essential data that encompass the potential operational conditions of the CO 2 Brayton cycle section applicable to small-scale reactors, thereby providing a valuable reference for the design and operation of practical cycle systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Shucheng Zhang & Juntao Ke & Min Liu & Pingjian Ming & Guopeng Yu, 2025. "Experimental Study and Performance Analysis of a Recuperative Supercritical CO 2 Brayton Cycle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:11:p:2986-:d:1672531
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Shi, Lingfeng & Shu, Gequn & Tian, Hua & Huang, Guangdai & Li, Xiaoya & Chen, Tianyu & Li, Ligeng, 2018. "Experimental investigation of a CO2-based Transcritical Rankine Cycle (CTRC) for exhaust gas recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 1149-1159.
    3. Li, Xiaoya & Shu, Gequn & Tian, Hua & Shi, Lingfeng & Huang, Guangdai & Chen, Tianyu & Liu, Peng, 2017. "Preliminary tests on dynamic characteristics of a CO2 transcritical power cycle using an expansion valve in engine waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(P1), pages 696-707.
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