Implications of Phase Change on the Aerodynamics of Centrifugal Compressors for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Persico ◽  
Paolo Gaetani ◽  
Alessandro Romei ◽  
Lorenzo Toni ◽  
Ernani Fulvio Bellobuono ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Critical Point ◽  
Compressible Flows ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Ideal Gas ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Line Design

Abstract Closed Joule–Brayton cycles operating with carbon dioxide in supercritical conditions (sCO2) are nowadays collecting a significant scientific interest, due to their high potential efficiency, the compactness of their components, and the flexibility that makes them suitable to exploit diverse energy sources. However, the technical implementation of sCO2 power systems introduces new challenges related to the design and operation of the components. The compressor, in particular, operates in a thermodynamic condition close to the critical point, whereby the fluid exhibits significant non-ideal gas effects and is prone to phase change in the intake region of the machine. These new challenges require novel design concepts and strategies, as well as proper tools to achieve reliable predictions. In this study, we consider an exemplary sCO2 power cycle with the main compressor operating in proximity to the critical point, with an intake entropy level of the fluid lower than the critical value. In this condition, the phase change occurs as evaporation/flashing, thus resembling cavitation phenomena observed in liquid pumps, even though with specific issues associated with compressibility effects occurring in both the phases. The flow configuration is therefore highly nonconventional and demands the development of proper tools for fluid and flow modeling, which are instrumental for the compressor design. The paper discusses the modeling issues from the thermodynamic perspective, then highlighting their implications on compressor aerodynamics. We propose tailored models to account for the effect of the phase change in 0D mean-line design tools as well as in fully three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid-dynamic (CFD) simulations: the former was previously validated for sCO2 compressors, the latter is validated in this paper against experiments of compressible flows of supercritical sCO2 in nozzles. In this way, a strategy of investigation is built-up as a combination of mean-line tools, industrial design experience, and CFD for detailed flow analysis. The investigation reveals that the potential onset of the phase change might alter significantly the performance and operation of the compressor, both in design and in off-design conditions, according to three main mechanisms: incidence effect, front-loading, and channel blockage.

Implications of Phase Change on the Aerodynamics of Centrifugal Compressors for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Applications

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giacomo Persico ◽  
Lorenzo Toni ◽  
Paolo Gaetani ◽  
Ernani Fulvio Bellobuono ◽  
Alessandro Romei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Critical Point ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Design Strategy ◽  
Ideal Gas ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Line Design

Abstract Closed Joule-Bryton cycles operating with carbon dioxide in supercritical conditions (sCO2) are nowadays collecting a significant scientific interest, due to their high potential efficiency, the compactness of their components, and the flexibility that makes them suitable to exploit diverse energy sources. However, the technical implementation of sCO2 power systems introduces new challenges related to the design and operation of the components. The compressor, in particular, operates in a thermodynamic condition close to the critical point, whereby the fluid exhibits significant non-ideal gas effects and is prone to phase change in the intake region of the machine. These new challenges require novel design concepts and strategies, as well as proper tools to achieve reliable predictions. In the present study, we consider an exemplary sCO2 power cycle with main compressor operating in proximity to the critical point, with an intake entropy level of the fluid lower than the critical value. In this condition, the phase change occurs as evaporation/flashing, thus resembling cavitation phenomena observed in liquid pumps, even though with specific issues associated to compressibility effects occurring in both the phases. The flow configuration is therefore highly nonconventional and demands the development of proper tools for fluid and flow modeling, which are instrumental for the compressor design. The paper discusses the modeling issues from the thermodynamic perspective and then highlighting the implications on the compressor aerodynamics. We propose tailored models to account for the effect of the phase change in 0D mean-line design tools as well as in fully 3D computational fluid-dynamic (CFD) simulations. In this way, a design strategy is build-up as a combination of mean-line tools, industrial design experience, and CFD for detailed flow analysis. The application of the design strategy reveals that the potential onset of the phase change might alter significantly the performance and operation of the compressor, both in design and in off-design conditions.

Computational Fluid Dynamics of a Radial Compressor Operating With Supercritical CO2

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rene Pecnik ◽  
Enrico Rinaldi ◽  
Piero Colonna
Keyword(s):  
Critical Point ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Supercritical Co2 ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Compressible Flows ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Maximum Pressure

The merit of using supercritical CO2 (scCO2) as the working fluid of a closed Brayton cycle gas turbine is now widely recognized, and the development of this technology is now actively pursued. scCO2 gas turbine power plants are an attractive option for solar, geothermal and nuclear energy conversion. Among the challenges which must be overcome in order to successfully bring the technology to the market, the efficiency of the compressor and turbine operating with the supercritical fluid should be increased as much as possible. High efficiency can be reached by means of sophisticated aerodynamic design, which, compared to other overall efficiency improvements, like cycle maximum pressure and temperature increase, or increase of recuperator effectiveness, does not require an increase in equipment cost, but only an additional effort in research and development. This paper reports a three-dimensional CFD study of a high-speed centrifugal compressor operating with CO2 in the thermodynamic region slightly above the vapor-liquid critical point. The investigated geometry is the compressor impeller tested in the Sandia scCO2 compression loop facility [1]. The fluid dynamic simulations are performed with a fully implicit parallel Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes code based on a finite volume formulation on arbitrary polyhedral mesh elements. The CFD code has been validated on test cases which are relevant for this study, see Ref. [2,3]. In order to account for the strongly nonlinear variation of the thermophysical properties of supercritical CO2, the CFD code is coupled with an extensive library for the computation of properties of fluids and mixtures [4]. Among the available models, the one based on reference equations of state for CO2 [5,6] has been selected, as implemented in one of the sub-libraries [7]. A specialized look-up table approach and a meshing technique suited for turbomachinery geometries are also among the novelties introduced in the developed methodology. A detailed evaluation of the CFD results highlights the challenges of numerical studies aimed at the simulation of technically relevant compressible flows occurring close to the liquid-vapor critical point. The data of the obtained flow field are used for a comparison with experiments performed at the Sandia scCO2 compression-loop facility.

The Critical Point Drying Method Applied to Scanning Electron Microscopy of L-929 Cells

1970 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 278-279
Author(s):  
Charles TurnbiLL ◽  
Delbert E. Philpott
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Surface Tension ◽  
Critical Point ◽  
Freeze Drying ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Crystal Formation ◽  
Critical Point Drying ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Scanning Electron

The advent of the scanning electron microscope (SCEM) has renewed interest in preparing specimens by avoiding the forces of surface tension. The present method of freeze drying by Boyde and Barger (1969) and Small and Marszalek (1969) does prevent surface tension but ice crystal formation and time required for pumping out the specimen to dryness has discouraged us. We believe an attractive alternative to freeze drying is the critical point method originated by Anderson (1951; for electron microscopy. He avoided surface tension effects during drying by first exchanging the specimen water with alcohol, amy L acetate and then with carbon dioxide. He then selected a specific temperature (36.5°C) and pressure (72 Atm.) at which carbon dioxide would pass from the liquid to the gaseous phase without the effect of surface tension This combination of temperature and, pressure is known as the "critical point" of the Liquid.

scholarly journals Large Eddy Simulations of Strongly Non-Ideal Compressible Flows through a Transonic Cascade

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 772
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Hoarau ◽  
Paola Cinnella ◽  
Xavier Gloerfelt
Keyword(s):  
Compressible Flows ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Pressure Ratio ◽  
Organic Rankine Cycle ◽  
Ideal Gas ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Large Eddy Simulations ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Viscous Effects ◽  
Large Eddy

Transonic flows of a molecularly complex organic fluid through a stator cascade were investigated by means of large eddy simulations (LESs). The selected configuration was considered as representative of the high-pressure stages of high-temperature Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) axial turbines, which may exhibit significant non-ideal gas effects. A heavy fluorocarbon, perhydrophenanthrene (PP11), was selected as the working fluid to exacerbate deviations from the ideal flow behavior. The LESs were carried out at various operating conditions (pressure ratio and total conditions at inlet), and their influence on compressibility and viscous effects is discussed. The complex thermodynamic behavior of the fluid generates highly non-ideal shock systems at the blade trailing edge. These are shown to undergo complex interactions with the transitional viscous boundary layers and wakes, with an impact on the loss mechanisms and predicted loss coefficients compared to lower-fidelity models relying on the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations.

The viscocity of carbon dioxide in the neighbourhood of the critical point

Physica ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kestin ◽  
J.H. Whitelaw ◽  
T.F. Zien
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Critical Point

Permeability enhancement and porosity change of coal by liquid carbon dioxide phase change fracturing

2021 ◽  
Vol 287 ◽  
pp. 106106
Author(s):  
Xianfeng Liu ◽  
Baisheng Nie ◽  
Kunyong Guo ◽  
Chengpeng Zhang ◽  
Zepeng Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Liquid Carbon ◽  
Liquid Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Porosity Change ◽  
Permeability Enhancement

Operation Characteristics of Zone 3 Distance Protection in Wind Power Systems with Fixed-Speed Induction Generators

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shenghu Li
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Reactive Power ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Load Flow ◽  
Synchronous Generators ◽  
Induction Generators ◽  
Load Flow Analysis ◽  
Wind Power Systems ◽  
Operation Characteristics

The induction generators (IGs) are basic to wind energy conversion. They produce the active power and consume the reactive power, with the voltage characteristics fragile compared with that of the synchronous generators and doubly-fed IGs. In the stressed system states, they may intensify var imbalance, yielding undesirable operation of zone 3 impedance relays.In this paper, the operation characteristics of the zone 3 relays in the wind power systems is studied. With the theoretical and load flow analysis, it is proved that the equivalent impedance of the IGs lies in the 2nd quadrature, possibly seen as the backward faults by the mho relays, i.e. the apparent impedance enters into the protection region from the left side. The undesirable operation may be caused by more wind power, larger load, less var compensation, and larger torque angle.

Numerical Simulation of the Performance of an Axial Compressor Operating With Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinlan Gou ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Can Ma ◽  
Yong Li ◽  
Yuansheng Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Critical Point ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Axial Compressor ◽  
Brayton Cycle ◽  
Supercritical Carbon

Using supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) as the working fluid of a closed Brayton cycle gas turbine is widely recognized nowadays, because of its compact layout and high efficiency for modest turbine inlet temperature. It is an attractive option for geothermal, nuclear and solar energy conversion. Compressor is one of the key components for the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle. With established or developing small power supercritical carbon dioxide test loop, centrifugal compressor with small mass flow rate is mainly investigated and manufactured in the literature; however, nuclear energy conversion contains more power, and axial compressor is preferred to provide SCO2 compression with larger mass flow rate which is less studied in the literature. The performance of the axial supercritical carbon dioxide compressor is investigated in the current work. An axial supercritical carbon dioxide compressor with mass flow rate of 1000kg/s is designed. The thermodynamic region of the carbon dioxide is slightly above the vapor-liquid critical point with inlet total temperature 310K and total pressure 9MPa. Numerical simulation is then conducted to assess this axial compressor with look-up table adopted to handle the nonlinear variation property of supercritical carbon dioxide near the critical point. The results show that the performance of the design point of the designed axial compressor matches the primary target. Small corner separation occurs near the hub, and the flow motion of the tip leakage fluid is similar with the well-studied air compressor. Violent property variation near the critical point creates troubles for convergence near the stall condition, and the stall mechanism predictions are more difficult for the axial supercritical carbon dioxide compressor.

The Propagation of Sound in Carbon Dioxide Near the Critical Point

1951 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Anderson ◽  
L. P. Delsasso
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Critical Point
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