Optimization and Comparison of Direct and Indirect Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Plant Cycles for Nuclear Applications (original) (raw)

2011, Volume 4: Energy Systems Analysis, Thermodynamics and Sustainability; Combustion Science and Engineering; Nanoengineering for Energy, Parts A and B

Results of analyses performed using the UniSim process analyses software to evaluate the performance of both a direct and indirect supercritical CO2 Brayton power plant cycle with recompression at different reactor outlet temperatures are presented. The direct supercritical CO2 power plant cycle transferred heat directly from a 600 MWt reactor to the supercritical CO2 working fluid supplied to the turbine generator at approximately 20 MPa. The indirect supercritical CO2 cycle assumed a helium-cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR), operating at a primary system pressure of approximately 7.0 MPa, delivered heat through an intermediate heat exchanger to the secondary indirect supercritical CO2 recompression Brayton cycle, again operating at a pressure of about 20 MPa. For both the direct and indirect power plant cycles, sensitivity calculations were performed for reactor outlet temperature between 550°C and 850°C. The UniSim models used realistic component parameters and operatin...