Transient Analysis of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Air Cooler With Using IDAES Model

The supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycle is a promising system for meeting future electricity grid demands. Its main advantage over Brayton cycles with other working fluids is its high net efficiency. To maintain this efficiency, the compressor must operate close to the critical point of CO2 (7.32 MPa and 31 °C). Maintaining a near constant inlet temperature is crucial, posing a design and operations challenge. In this study, we simulate the air cooler in an sCO2 power plant using a dynamic model with a focus on transient analysis. This was done for a 100 MWe sCO2 power cycle molten salt application (solar and nuclear reactors). For transient analysis, step changes in ambient temperature were simulated. A parametric study was also conducted using the model in steady-state. The model was implemented using the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) Process Systems Engineering (PSE) framework, an open-source software package. A brief description of the software architecture is given. Model applications and its overall fit in the digital twin landscape are also discussed.