• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.172-181
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• 1993

Pseudo-Brayton cycle is defined as an ideal Brayton cycle admitting the difference between heat capacities of working fluid during heating and cooling processes. The endo-pseudo-Brayton cycle which is a pseudo-Brayton cycle with heat transfer processes is analyzed with the consideration of maximum power conditions and the results were compared with those of the endo-Carnot cycle and endo-Brayton cycle. As results, the maximum power is an extremum with respect to the cycle temperature and the flow heat capacities of heating and cooling processes. At the maximum power condition, the heat capacity of the cold side is smaller than that of heat sink flow. And the heat capacity of endo-Brayton cycle is always between those of heat source and sink flows and those of the working fluids of pseudo-Brayton cycle. There is another optimization problem to decide the distribution of heat transfer capacity to the hot and cold side heat exchangers. The ratios of the capacies of the endo-Brayton and the endo-pseudo-Braton cycles at the maximum power condition are just unity. With the same heat source and sink flows and with the same total heat transfer caqpacities, the maximum power output of the Carnot cycle is the least as expected, but the differences among them were small if the heat transfer capacity is not so large. The thermal efficiencies of the endo-Brayton and endo-Carnot cycle were proved to be 1-.root.(T$_{7}$/T$_{1}$) but it is not applicable to the pseudo-Brayton case, instead it depends on comparative sizes of heat capacities of the heat source and sink flow.w.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.3181-3188
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• 2008

The supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle energy conversion system is presented as a promising alternative to the present Rankine cycle. The principal advantage of the S-$CO_2$ gas is a good efficiency at a modest temperature and a compact size of its components. The S-$CO_2$ Brayton cycle coupled to a SFR also excludes the possibilities of a SWR (Sodium-Water Reaction) which is a major safety-related event, so that the safety of a SFR can be improved. KAERI is conducting a feasibility study for the supercritical carbon dioxide (S-$CO_2$) Brayton cycle power conversion system coupled to KALIMER(Korea Advanced LIquid MEtal Reactor). The purpose of this research is to develop S-$CO_2$ Brayton cycle energy conversion systems and evaluate their performance when they are coupled to advanced nuclear reactor concepts of the type under investigation in the Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems. This paper contains the research overview of the S-$CO_2$ Brayton cycle coupled to KALIMER-600 as an alternative energy conversion system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1482-1494
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• 2022

Power conversion cycles (Subcritical Steam, Supercritical Steam, Open Air Brayton, Recuperated Air Brayton, Combined Cycle, Closed Brayton Supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂), and Stirling) are evaluated for land-based nuclear microreactors based on technical maturity, system efficiency, size, cost and maintainability, safety implications, and siting considerations. Based upon these criteria, Air Brayton systems were selected for further evaluation. A brief history of the development and applications of Brayton power systems is given, followed by a description of how these thermal-to-electrical energy conversion systems might be integrated with a nuclear microreactor. Modeling is performed for optimized cycles operating at 3 MW(e) with turbine inlet temperatures of 500 ℃, 650 ℃ and 850 ℃, corresponding to: a) sodium fast, b) molten salt or heat pipe, and c) helium or sodium thermal reactors, coupled with three types of Brayton power conversion units (PCUs): 1) simple open-cycle gas turbine, 2) recuperated open-cycle gas turbine, and 3) recuperated and intercooled open-cycle gas turbine. Aeroderivative turboshaft engines employing the simple Brayton cycle and two industrial gas turbine engines employing recuperated air Brayton cycles are also analyzed. These engines offer mature technology that can facilitate near-term deployment with a modest improvement in efficiency.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.775-780
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• 2008

A dynamic model to simulate LNG reliquefaction process has been developed. The model was applied to two candidate cycles for LNG reliquefaction process, which are Reverse Brayton and Claude cycles. The simulation was intended to simulate the pilot plant under construction for operation of the two cycles and evaluate their feasibility. According to the simulation results, both satisfy control requirements for safe operation of brazed aluminum plate-fin type heat exchangers. In view of energy consumption, the Reverse Brayton cycle is more efficient than the Claude cycle. The latter has an expansion valve in addition to the common facilities sharing with the Reverse Brayton cycle. The expansion valve is a main cause to the efficiency loss. It generates a significant amount of entropy associated with its throttling and increases circulation flow rates of the refrigerant and power consumption caused by its leaking resulting in lowered pressure ratio. It is concluded that the Reverse Brayton cycle is more efficient and simpler in control and construction than the Claude cycle.

• International Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.135-140
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• 2009

A dynamic model to simulate LNG reliquefaction process has been developed. The model was applied to two candidate cycles for LNG reliquefaction process, which are Reverse Brayton and Claude cycles. The simulation was intended to simulate the pilot plant under construction for operation of the two cycles and evaluate their feasibility. According to the simulation results, both satisfy control requirements for safe operation of brazed aluminum plate-fin type heat exchangers. In view of energy consumption, the Reverse Brayton cycle is more efficient than the Claude cycle. The latter has an expansion valve in addition to the common facilities sharing with the Reverse Brayton cycle. The expansion valve is a main cause to the efficiency loss. It generates a significant amount of entropy associated with its throttling and increases circulation flow rates of the refrigerant and power consumption caused by its leaking resulting in lowered pressure ratio. It is concluded that the Reverse Brayton cycle is more efficient and simpler in control and construction than the Claude cycle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.117-121
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• 2003

In order to investigate the performance characters of the ramjet propulsion, at the first step, in this paper Ideal Brayton cycle is adopted. In the Ideal Ramjet cycle some of the Parameters are independent of the heat input, for example thermal efficiency but in the Ideal Brayton cycle, Mach number and the entry temperature of the combustion chamber are important variables with the heat input.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.1025-1044
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• 2009

Systematic research has been conducted by KAERI to develop a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle energy conversion system coupled with a sodium cooled fast reactor. For the development of the supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle ECS, KAERI researched four major fields, separately. For the system development, computer codes were developed to design and analyze the supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle ECS coupled with the KALIMER-600. Computer codes were developed to design and analyze the performance of the major components such as the turbomachinery and the high compactness PCHE heat exchanger. Three dimensional flow analysis was conducted to evaluate their performance. A new configuration for a PCHE heat exchanger was developed by using flow analysis, which showed a very small pressure loss compared with a previous PCHE while maintaining its heat transfer rate. Transient characteristics for the supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle coupled with KALIMER-600 were also analyzed using the developed computer codes. A Na-$CO_2$ pressure boundary failure accident was analyzed with a computer code that included a developed model for the Na-$CO_2$ chemical reaction phenomena. The MMS-LMR code was developed to analyze the system transient and control logic. On the basis of the code, the system behavior was analyzed when a turbine load was changed. This paper contains the current research overview of the supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle coupled to the KALIMER-600 as an alternative energy conversion system.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.29-45
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• 2016

There has been a growing interest in the recent time for the development of solar power tower plants, which are mainly used for utility scale power generation. Combined heat and power (CHP) is an efficient and clean approach to generate electric power and useful thermal energy from a single heat source. The waste heat from the topping Brayton cycle is utilized in the bottoming HRSG cycle for driving steam turbine and also to produce process steam so that efficiency of the cycle is increased. A thermal storage system is likely to add greater reliability to such plants, providing power even during non-peak sunshine hours. This paper presents a conceptual configuration of a solar power tower combined heat and power plant with a topping air Brayton cycle. A simple downstream Rankine cycle with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a process heater have been considered for integration with the solar Brayton cycle. The conventional GT combustion chamber is replaced with a solar receiver. The combined cycle has been analyzed using energy as well as exergy methods for a range of pressure ratio across the GT block. From the thermodynamic analysis, it is found that such an integrated system would give a maximum total power (2.37 MW) at a much lower pressure ratio (5) with an overall efficiency exceeding 27%. The solar receiver and heliostats are the main components responsible for exergy destruction. However, exergetic performance of the components is found to improve at higher pressure ratio of the GT block.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.41-46
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• 2015

Recently, the development of the HTS power cable is actively promoted. As the length of HTS power cable increases, there have been many efforts to develop large capacity cryocooler. Among the various cryocooler, the Brayton refrigerator is the most competitive for HTS power cable. The Brayton refrigerator is composed of recuperative heat exchangers, a compressor, and a cryogenic turbo expander. In these components, the cryogenic turbo expander is a part to decrease the temperature and it is the most significant component that is closely related with overall system efficiency. It rotates with high speed using a high-pressure helium or neon gas at cryogenic temperature. This paper describes the design of a 10 kW class Brayton refrigeration cycle and the cryogenic turbo expander. Flow and structural analysis are performed for the rotating impeller and nozzle to verify the efficiency and the design performance.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.785-796
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• 2009

A KALIMER-600 concept which is a type of sodium-cooled fast reactor, has been developed at KAERI. It uses sodium as a primary coolant and is a pool-type reactor to enhance safety. Also, a supercritical carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) Brayton cycle is considered as an alternative to an energy conversion system to eliminate the sodium water reaction and to improve efficiency. In this study, a simplified model for analyzing the thermodynamic performance of the KALIMER-600 coupled with a supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle was developed. To develop the analysis model, a commercial modular modeling system (MMS) was adopted as a base engine, which was developed by nHance Technology in USA. It has a convenient graphical user interface and many component modules to model the plant. A new user library for thermodynamic properties of sodium and supercritical $CO_2$ was developed and attached to the MMS. In addition, some component modules in the MMS were modified to be appropriate for analysis of the KALIMER-600 coupled with the supercritical $CO_2$ cycle. Then, a simplified performance analysis code was developed by modeling the KALIMER-600 plant with the modified MMS. After evaluating the developed code with each component data and a steady state of the plant, a simple power reduction and recovery event was evaluated. The results showed an achievable capability for a performance analysis code. The developed code will be used to develop the operational strategy and some control logics for the operation of the KALIMER-600 with a supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle after further studies of analyzing various operational events.