MediumtemperaturecarbondioxidegasturbinereactorOriginalResearchArticle

Acarbondioxide(CO2)gasturbinereactorwithapartialpre-coolingcycleattainscomparablecycleefficienciesof45.8%atmediumtemperatureof650°Candpressureof7MPawithatypicalhelium(He)gasturbinereactorofGT-MHR(47.7%)athightemperatureof850°C.Thishigherefficiencyisascribedto:reducedcompressionworkaroundthecriticalpointofCO2;andconsiderationofvariationinCO2specificheatatconstantpressure,Cp,withpressureandtemperatureintocycleconfiguration.Loweringtemperatureto650°Cprovidesflexibilityinchoosingmaterialsandeasesmaintenancethroughthelowerdiffusionleakrateoffissionproductsfromcoatedparticlefuelbyabouttwoordersofmagnitude.Atmediumtemperatureof650°C,lessexpensivecorrosionresistantmaterialssuchastype316stainlesssteelareapplicableandtheirperformanceinCO2havebeenprovenduringextensiveoperationinAGRs.Inthepreviousstudy,theCO2cyclegasturbomachineryweightwasestimatedtobeaboutone-fifthcomparedwithHecycles.TheproposedmediumtemperatureCO2gasturbinereactorisexpectedtobeanalternativesolutiontocurrenthigh-temperatureHegasturbinereactors.