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Supercritical CO2 Cycles for Nuclear-Powered Marine Propulsion: Preliminary Conceptual Design and Off-Design Performance Assessment

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Abstract

Using the efficient, space-saving, and flexible supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycle is a promising approach for improving the performance of nuclear-powered ships. The purpose of this paper is to design and compare sCO2 cycle power systems suitable for nuclear-powered ships. Considering the characteristics of nuclear-powered ships, this paper uses different indicators to comprehensively evaluate the efficiency, cost, volume, and partial load performance of several nuclear-powered sCO2 cycles. Four load-following strategies are also designed and compared. The results show that the partial cooling cycle is most suitable for nuclear-powered ships because it offers both high thermal efficiency and low volume and cost, and can maintain relatively high thermal efficiency at partial loads. Additionally, the new load-following strategy that adjusts the turbine speed can keep the compressor away from the surge line, making the cycle more flexible and efficient compared to traditional inventory and turbine bypass strategies.

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Abbreviations

AT:

Auxiliary turbine

EP:

Electric propulsion

HTR:

High temperature recuperator

IHX:

Intermediate heat exchanger

LFR:

Lead-cooled fast reactor

LTR:

Low temperature recuperator

MCOM:

Main compressor

MP:

Mechanical propulsion

MT:

Main turbine

PC:

Partial cooling cycle

PCHE:

Printed circuit board heat exchanger

PCOM:

Pre-compressor

PWR:

Pressurized water reactor

RC:

Recompression cycle

RCOM:

Recycled compressor

sCO2 :

supercritical CO2

SFR:

Sodium-cooled fast reactor

SR:

Simple recuperative cycle

Tur:

Turbine

C :

Cost/USD

C BM :

The price of PCHE in per unit mass/USD·kg−1

CEP:

The cost of every unit of cycle output power/USD·kW−1

D :

Diameter/m

d c :

Diameter of micro-channel/mm

E input :

Exergy input to the sCO2 cycle/MW

e :

Specific exergy/kJ·kg−1

f c :

Moody friction coefficient

f m :

The fraction of metal

H :

Height of PCHE/m

h :

Specific enthalpy/kJ·kg−1

Δh :

Isentropic enthalpy change/kJ·kg−1

htc:

Heat transfer coefficient/kW·(m2·K)−1

HC:

Heat capacity/W·K−1

I x :

Irreversibility of the xth component/%

L :

Length of heat exchanger/m

m :

Mass flow rate/kg·s−1

m t :

Total turbine mass flow rate/kg·s−1

N :

Shaft rotational speed/r·min−1

N 1 :

The number of sub-exchangers

N2:

The number of modules

NTU:

The number of transfer units

Nu :

Nusselt number

n s :

Isentropic volume exponent

P ti :

Turbine inlet pressure/MPa

P to :

Turbine outlet pressure/MPa

ΔP :

Pressure drop of heat exchanger/kPa

p c :

Channel pitch/mm

Pe :

Peclet number

Pr :

Prandtl number

Q :

Total heat load of the heat exchanger/MW

Q th :

Thermal duty of the reactor/MW

q :

The heat load of the sub-heat exchanger/MW

R :

Gas constant/J·(kg·K)−1

Re :

Reynolds number

T min :

Cycle minimum temperature/°C

Tti:

Turbine inelt temperature/°C

ΔT IHX :

Pinch temperature difference of IHX/°C

ΔT r :

Pinch temperature difference of recuperator/°C

t :

The thickness of the plate/mm

UA:

Thermal conductance of heat exchanger/W·K−1

V hx :

Total volume of the cycle heat exchangers/m3

v :

specific volume/m3·kg−1

W :

Width of PCHE/m

Wa:

Total electricity consumption of auxiliary facility and daily demand/MW

WAT :

Power of the auxiliary turbine/MW

WC :

Power of compressor/MW

WMT :

Power of the main turbine/MW

W net :

Net power output of sCO2 cycle/MW

W p :

Propulsion power/MW

W t :

Power of turbine/MW

Z :

Gas compressibility

ε :

Effectiveness of heat exchanger

η c :

Compressor isentropic efficiency/%

η ex :

Exergy efficiency of the sCO2 cycle/%

η g :

Generator efficiency/%

η gb :

Gearbox efficiency/%

η m :

Motor efficiency/%

η t :

Turbine isentropic efficiency/%

η th :

Thermal efficiency of sCO2 cycle/%

η * :

Dimensionless efficiency

ρ m :

The density of the PCHE material/kg·m−3

λ :

The thermal conductivity of the heat exchanger material/W·(m·K)−1

φ * :

Dimensionless flow

Ψ * :

Dimensionless head

avg:

Average value

d:

Design condition

cold:

Heat exchanger cold side

eq:

Equivalent value at turbomachine map conditions

hot:

Heat exchanger hot side

od:

Off-design condition

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52276150).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China

    Zhaozhi Li, Mingzhu Shi, Yingjuan Shao & Wenqi Zhong

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  1. Zhaozhi Li
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Correspondence to Yingjuan Shao.

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Li, Z., Shi, M., Shao, Y. et al. Supercritical CO2 Cycles for Nuclear-Powered Marine Propulsion: Preliminary Conceptual Design and Off-Design Performance Assessment. J. Therm. Sci. 33, 328–347 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-023-1896-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-023-1896-6

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