Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium

May 24-25, 2011

Boulder, Colorado

An Analysis and Comparison of the Simple and Recompression Supercritical

CO2 Cycles
Bryant, John C and Saari, Henry
Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
[email protected], [email protected]

Zanganeh, Kourosh
CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada

Abstract

The recompression cycle has been proposed as a means of improving upon the efficiencies obtainable using a simple
Brayton cycle. It differs from the simple cycle in that a portion of the mass flow is recompressed to the working
pressure without first being precooled. A second compressor is required and the single recuperator of the simple
cycle is split into two separate parts, so increasing system complexity, but this can be justified by the potential for
increased efficiency.

This paper analyzes the efficiencies of the simple and recompression cycles over a range of operating conditions
(turbine inlet temperature, compressor inlet pressure, turbine inlet pressure) and with recuperator performance
defined in terms of both effectiveness and minimum attainable pinch. NIST material properties were used
throughout the analyses, but pressure losses in piping and heat exchangers were neglected. Taking them into account
would reduce the efficiencies of both the simple and recompression cycles, but the recompression cycle would
presumably suffer more because of the greater recuperator areas required. A previously published comparison of the
simple and recompression cycles is critiqued and the efficiencies of the two cycles are compared using a variety of
assumptions.

It is proved that, for any given compressor and turbine conditions, the recompression cycle will always be more
efficient than a simple cycle provided that the two cycles have the same precooler inlet temperature. In order to
satisfy this condition, however, the recompression cycle will always require more total recuperator area. It is
demonstrated that when the two cycles are compared on the basis of equal total recuperator area, the efficiency
advantage of the recompression cycle is reduced and, depending upon the assumptions made, can disappear
altogether.

1.0 The Simple Cycle

Figure 1 illustrates the components of the simple cycle
and Figure 2 shows a representative h-s diagram. The
circle in the h-s diagram represents the critical point of
CO2 (7.38 MPa, 30.98˚C). The h-s diagram clearly
illustrates one appealing aspect of S-CO2 cycles.
Provided that the compressor inlet conditions are kept
in the vicinity of the critical point the specific
compressor work is low and the compressor absorbs
an unusually small part of the work produced by the
turbine.
Figure 1 Simple Cycle Schematic
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

1100
0.36
1000
Cooling
900 Recuperation 0.32

Thermal Efficiency
Heating
Enthlapy (KJ/kg)

800

700 0.28

600
0.24
500

400
0.2
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
300 Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Entropy (J/(kg-K)) Figure 5 TIT = 350˚C, effectiveness = 95%
Figure 2 h-s Diagram for Simple Cycle
0.48
TIP = 10.0 MPa
Throughout this paper pressure losses are neglected, TIP = 12.5 MPa
TIP = 15.0 MPa
NIST material properties are used, the compressor Thermal Efficiency 0.44 TIP = 17.5 MPa
inlet temperature is assumed to be 32˚C (just above the TIP = 20.0 MPa
critical temperature), and compressors and turbines are TIP = 22.5 MPa
0.4 TIP = 25.0 MPa
assumed to have isentropic efficiencies of 0.89 and
0.90 respectively. Given these assumptions, a simple
cycle is fully defined by 0.36

• Any two of the pressure ratio (PR), the

0.32
compressor inlet pressure (CIP), and the 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
turbine inlet pressure (TIP) Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
Figure 5 TIT = 550˚C, effectiveness = 95%
• turbine inlet temperature (TIT)
• Some measure of recuperator performance 0.54

Recuperator performance can be expressed in terms of

0.5
effectiveness (the percentage of possible heat transfer
Thermal Efficiency

achieved) or pinch (taken here to be the minimum of

the temperature differences at the two ends of the 0.46
recuperator). The two measures are not equivalent. If
constant effectiveness is assumed the pinch will vary
0.42
as the operating conditions are changed (and vice
versa). Arguments can be made for either measure,
but it is felt that pinch is a better measure of what is 0.38
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
actually achievable. Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
Figure 5 TIT = 750˚C, effectiveness = 95%
Figures 3 through 8 illustrate the efficiency of the
simple cycle at turbine inlet temperatures of 350˚C, Each constant turbine inlet pressure line was
550˚C and 750˚C and assuming either 95% recuperator generated by varying pressure ratios from two to four.
effectiveness or 15˚C recuperator pinch. The pinch The point at the left end of each line represents a
value was chosen so as to be more or less equivalent to pressure ratio of four and the point at the right end of
95% effectiveness at TIT = 550˚C and mid range PR each line represents a pressure ratio of two. In contrast
and TIP values. with a typical open Brayton cycle, efficiencies do not
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

generally increase as the pressure ratio is increased. Dashed lines indicate the presence of internal
This is because increasing the pressure ratio increases recuperator pinch. Cycles in these regions are
the compressor outlet temperature and hence the theoretically possible but cannot be realized in practice
minimum temperature attainable at the precooler inlet. because the recuperators required would be
This limits the recuperation potential and negatively impractically large. Figure 9 illustrates the
affects efficiency. phenomenon. The solid lines represent a normal
recuperator temperature profile (hot flow from right to
0.36 left, cold flow from left to right). The minimum
temperature difference occurs at the cold end of the
0.32
recuperator and temperature differences increase
towards the hot end. The dashed lines represent a
Thermal Efficiency

recuperator with internal pinch. In this case the

0.28 minimum temperature difference occurs within the
recuperator and temperature differences increase
0.24 towards the ends. This leads to a "dead" zone of low
temperature differences (and hence low heat transfer)
within the recuperator and to a greatly increased UA
0.2
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 value. Internal pinch is a result of the way in which
Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
the specific heat of S-CO2 changes in the vicinity of
Figure 8 TIT = 350˚C, pinch = 15˚C the critical point. It occurs when specific heats are
0.48
TIP = 10.0 MPa
such that the cold flow changes temperature more
TIP = 12.5 MPa rapidly towards the cold end of the recuperator and the
0.44
TIP = 15.0 MPa hot flow changes temperature more rapidly towards
TIP = 17.5 MPa
Thermal Efficiency

TIP = 20.0 MPa the hot end.

TIP = 22.5 MPa
0.4 TIP = 25.0 MPa 500

400 Hot flow

Cold flow
Temperature (deg C)

0.36

300

0.32
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
200
Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
Figure 8 TIT = 550˚C, pinch = 15˚C
100
0.54

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
0.5 UA (MW /deg C)
Thermal Efficiency

Figure 9 Internal Recuperator Pinch

0.46 Efficiency increases as the turbine inlet temperature is

increased. The effects of increasing the turbine inlet
0.42 pressure are not so straightforward. At 350˚C higher
pressures are clearly beneficial, at 550˚C the effect is
less pronounced and dependent upon the assumptions
0.38
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 made, and at 750˚C higher pressures actually give
Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
slightly lower efficiencies.
Figure 8 TIT = 750˚C, pinch = 15˚C
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

If reduced specific compressor work was the sole or 1100

primary factor in determining the efficiency of a 1000
Cooling
Hi Temp Recup
simple cycle, one would expect all of the graphs to Lo Temp Recup
show a efficiency peak at (or perhaps above) a 900 Heating

compressor inlet pressure equal to the critical pressure

Enthlapy (KJ/kg)
800
of 7.38 MPa. This is the case for a turbine inlet
700
temperature of 350˚C but at turbine inlet temperatures
of 550˚C of 750˚C having the compressor inlet at or 600

above the critical pressure does not maximize 500

efficiency. Efficiency is in fact affected by both the
400
compressor work and the potential for recuperation.
From the point of view of efficiency, relatively high 300
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
specific compressor work is acceptable if it positions Entropy (J/(kg-K))
the cycle as a whole in such a way that more Figure 11 h-s Diagram for Recompression Cycle
recuperation is possible.
Given this assumption (and the basic assumptions
2.0 The Recompression Cycle presented earlier) fully defining a recompression cycle
requires
Figure 10 illustrates the components of the
recompression cycle and Figure 11 shows a • any two of the pressure ratio (PR), the
representative h-s diagram. compressor inlet pressure (CIP), and the
turbine inlet pressure (TIP)
• turbine inlet temperature (TIT)
• two measures of recuperator performance

Defining recuperator performance in terms of

effectiveness is problematic. Requiring that both
recuperators operate at some specified effectiveness is
computationally complex and there may be two
solutions (one in which the cold side of the low
temperature recuperator is critical and the other in
which the hot side is). Also it is not evident that
having the two recuperators operate at the same
Figure 10 Recompression Cycle Schematic effectiveness is in any way optimal. Effectiveness also
suffers from a fundamental problem when a system
The recompression cycle differs from the simple cycle has two recuperators in series (which is essentially the
in that some fraction of the flow does not pass through sitatuation in the recompression cycle, even if the hot
the precooler and the main compressor. Instead it is side mass flows are not identical). If one assumes that
recompressed and then rejoins the main flow between both recuperators operate at some maximum
the two parts of the divided recuperator (at point 3). It achievable effectiveness, the overall effect will be a
is assumed that at this point the two flows are at the single recuperator that exceeds this maximum.
same temperature. This assumption appears to be
Defining recuperator performance in terms of pinch
universal amongst researchers in the field and it is not
does not suffer from these difficulties. Having both
evident that relaxing it would permit the creation of
recuperators operate at some assumed minimum
better cycles.
attainable pinch uniquely defines a cycle, and this
cycle is optimal for the assumed pinch.
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

0.35
that the cycle is impractical). The results are rather
more in keeping with what one might intuitively
0.33
expect than the corresponding results for the simple
Thermal Efficiency

cycle. In addition to increasing as the turbine inlet

0.31
temperature is increased, efficiency also generally
TIP = 10.0 MPa
TIP = 12.5 MPa
increases as the turbine inlet pressure is increased (the
0.29
TIP = 15.0 MPa situation at the "top end" of the 350˚C graph being
TIP = 17.5 MPa
0.27 TIP = 20.0 MPa
only a slight exception to the rule). Furthermore
TIP = 22.5 MPa maximum efficiencies tend to correspond to
0.25
TIP = 25.0 MPa compressor inlet pressure is in the vicinity of the
2 4 6 8 10 12
Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa) critical pressure, although for turbine inlet pressures of
Figure 14 TIT = 350˚C 15 MPa or less this is not true at 750˚C.
0.48
3.0 Simple vs. Recompression Cycle
0.46
Figure 15 is a recreation of results presented in [1].
Thermal Efficiency

The efficiency of the recompression cycle (solid lines)

0.44
is compared with that of the simple cycle (dashed
lines) on the basis of 95% effective recuperation (with
0.42
CIT = 32˚C and TIT = 550˚C).
0.4 0.48

0.38
2 4 6 8 10 12 0.44
Thermal Efficiency

Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)

Figure 14 TIT = 550˚C
0.4
0.56

0.54 0.36 TIP = 10 MPa

TIP = 15 MPa
Thermal Efficiency

TIP = 20 MPa
0.52 TIP = 25 MPa
0.32
2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Pressure Ratio
0.5
Figure 15 Simple vs. Recompression Cycles

0.48 In the case of the recompression cycle effectiveness is

defined in terms of the hot flow alone and the 95%
0.46
2 4 6 8 10 12
figure applies to
Compressor Inlet Pressure (MPa)
Figure 14 TIT = 750˚C • the high temperature recuperator
• the two recuperators taken together
Figures 12 through 14 illustrate the efficiency of the
This approach circumvents some of the difficulties
recompression cycle at turbine inlet temperatures of
described earlier and because of the nature of the cycle
350˚C, 550˚C and 750˚C and assuming that the pinch
and the properties of S-CO2 high temperature
for both recuperators is 10˚C. Each line of constant
recuperators always operate at 95% effectiveness (as
turbine inlet pressure was created by varying the
usually defined). The effectiveness of low
pressure ratio from two to four. Dashed lines indicate
temperature recuperators is not limited to 95%,
internal pinch in the low temperature recuperator (and
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

however, and at higher pressure ratios reaches 98%. values would give quantitatively different but
The comparison can therefore be faulted on the qualitatively similar curves).
grounds that it compares simple cycles in which
effectiveness is limited to 95% to recompression 0.5
cycles in which effectiveness can reach 98%. On the
other hand the recompression cycle suffers because the
0.45
total implied recuperator UA (U-overall heat transfer

Thermal Efficiency
coefficient, A-area) is not optimally divided between
the low and high temperature recuperators. 0.4

Ideal Simple Cycle

Another objection is that the recompression cycles Simple Cycle
0.35
require considerably more recuperator UA (by a factor Ideal Recompression Cycle
Recompression Cycle
of between 2 and 4.5) than the simple cycles to which
they are being compared. One might reasonably ask 0.3
0 10 20 30 40 50
how much of the improvement in efficiency is due to Total UA (MW /deg C)
recompression and how much is due to the larger Figure 17 Efficiency vs. Total UA
recuperators.
As UA is increased the efficiencies of the simple and
recompression cycles approach their limiting ideal
0.48
values and, as the ideal efficiency of the
recompression cycle will always be higher (as is
0.44
proved later in this paper) there will always be a point
Thermal Efficiency

at which the recompression cycle becomes more

0.4 efficient. Below this point the optimal recompression
TIP = 10 MPa
cycle is a simple cycle (i.e. the optimal recompression
TIP = 15 MPa fraction is zero).
0.36
TIP = 20 MPa
TIP = 25 MPa 0.65
TIT = 350 deg C
0.32 TIT = 550 deg C
2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Pressure Ratio TIT = 750 deg C
0.55
Thermal Efficiency

Figure 16 Simple vs. Recompression Cycles (2)

0.45
Figure 16 represents an attempt to address these issues.
Recompression cycles have been optimized by
0.35
optimally dividing the implied recuperator UA and
simple cycles have been given the sample total UA as
the recompression cycles to which they are being 0.25
10 15 20 25
compared. Though it perhaps presents a truer picture Turbine Inlet Pressure (MPa)

of the relative merits of the simple and recompression Figure 18 Simple vs. Recompression Cycles (3)
cycles, it is not without its own difficulties. The
Figure 18 compares the efficiencies of the
results of any comparison based on equal total
recompression (solid lines) and simple (dashed lines)
recuperator UA will depend upon the UA value
cycles on the basic of equal recuperator pinch. It
chosen. Figure 17 shows how simple and
assumes 10˚C pinch, and pressure ratios chosen so to
recompression cycles efficiencies vary as total
maximize efficiency. The trend towards higher
recuperator UA is increased. It assumes CIP =
recompression cycle efficiencies with increasing
7.5MPa, TIP = 22.5MPa, and TIT = 550˚C (other
turbine inlet pressure can clearly be seen, as can the
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

lack of any such trend in the case of the simple cycle. Because cycle A is 100% efficient, the overall
If pinch is accepted as a measure what is possible in a efficiency of cycles A and B acting together will
heat exchanger, Figure 18 represents a fair comparison always be greater than that of cycle B (i.e. that of an
in that all of the implied recuperators are equally "equivalent" simple cycle). This can be formally
practical. On the other hand the recompression cycles demonstrated by noting that the efficiency of the
do require between 2 and 3.6 times as much recompression cycle is equal to the total work done by
recuperator UA as the simple cycles to which they are cycles A and B divided by the total external heat
being compared. required by these cycles. Let WA and WB be work done
by the two cycles, QA and QB be the external heat they
4.0 Understanding Recompression require, and QAB be the heat transferred from cycle A
to cycle B.
The recompression cycle can be seen as the super-
position of two simple cycles as shown in Figure 19. WA + WB WA + WB
ηR = =
(QA + QB ) (WA + QAB ) + (WB / η S − QAB )
Cy cle A Cycle B

WA + WB ⎡ W /W +1 ⎤
= = ηS ⎢ B A ⎥ (1)
Heat In Heat In WA + WB / η S ⎣WB / WA + η S ⎦
Temperature (deg C)

Temperature (deg C)

As ηS will always be less than 1 the quantity in square

Heat In
brackets will always be greater than 1 and ηR will
(from A) always be greater than ηS.
Heat Out
(to B)
Heat Out 5
Cooling
Entropy (J/(kg/K)) Entropy (J/(kg/K))
Hi Temp Recup
Lo Temp Recup
Enthlapy (KJ/kg)

Figure 19 Recompression as Superimposed Cycles 4

Heating
6
The portion (f) of the flow that is recompressed 3
7
undergoes one of these cycles (cycle "A") and the
portion (1-f) of the flow that is not recompressed
undergoes the other (cycle "B"). When both flows pass 2
8
through a recuperator, heat gains or losses are 1
proportional to the flow rates. If the total heat lost or
Entropy (J/(kg-K))
gained is Q, the heat lost or gained by the flow that is
recompressed is fQ and the heat lost by the flow that is Figure 20 Simple/Recompression Equivalence
not recompressed is (1-f) Q.
Figure 20 can be seen as representing either a
Cycle A operates at 100% efficiency. All of the input
recompression cycle with a recompression fraction of
heat is either converted to mechanical work or
zero or a simple cycle (with state points 3 and 7
transferred to cycle B. Cycle B operates at the same
representing points within the recuperator). It is
efficiency as a normal simple cycle having the same
instructive to consider the effects of increasing the
compressor conditions, turbine conditions, and
recompression fraction from this starting point.
precooler inlet temperature (i.e. the same state points
1, 2, 5, 6, and 8). Having input heat added in the low
temperature recuperator instead of in the heater does
not affect the efficiency of the cycle.
 Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium
May 24-25, 2011
Boulder, Colorado

0.5 450

0.45
350

Temperature (deg C)
Thermal Efficiency

0.4
250
0.35
2 deg C pinch
f = 0.00
5 deg C pinch 150
0.3 f = 0.15
10 deg C pinch
f = 0.30
20 deg C pinch
30 deg C pinch
0.25 50
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0 5 10 15 20
Recompression Fraction UA (MW /deg C)
Figure 22 Effects of Recompression on Efficiency Figure 21 Recuperator Temperature Profiles

Figure 21 assumes the same conditions (CIP = which heat is rejected and efficiency can only increase
7.5MPa, TIP = 22.5MPa, TIT = 550˚C) as Figure 17. if the reduction in the mass flow through the precooler
It shows, for a range of simple cycle pinch values, how is great enough to overcome this effect. Whether or
efficiency changes as the recompression fraction is not efficiency increases depends upon the assumed UA
increased from zero while keeping state point 8 fixed value. A pinch of 2˚C implies that UA = 11.8 MW/
(solid lines) and while maintaining the same total ˚C. At this value recompression is advantageous (see
recuperator UA (dashed lines). Figure 17) and efficiency increases (up to a point) as
the recompression fraction is increased. A pinch of
If state point 8 is kept fixed, efficiency always 30˚C implies that UA = 4.36 MW/ ˚C. At this value
increases, but so does total recuperator UA. In part recompression is not advantageous and efficiency
this is because compressing part of the flow under less decreases as the recompression fraction is increased.
favourable conditions increases total compressor work
and so increases the mass flow required to produce any 5.0 Conclusions
given net power. The primary cause, however, is that
For any given compressor and turbine conditions the
as the recompression fraction is increased state point 7
recompression cycle is potentially more efficient than
moves towards state point 8, reducing the temperature
the simple cycle, but achieving higher efficiency
difference between state points 3 and 7 and so
generally involves increasing the total recuperator area
squeezing recuperator temperature differences. This
significantly beyond what would be reasonable for a
effect is illustrated by Figure 22, which shows the
simple cycle. Were the associated pressure losses
recuperator temperature profile for 10˚C pinch and
were taken into account the advantage of the
recompression fractions of 0, 0.15 and 0.3. The red
recompression cycle would certainly be reduced and
circles represent state point 7, the blue circles state
might even largely disappear. Further studies that take
point 3, and the black lines the division between the
pressure losses into account are required.
low and high temperature recuperators. The temp-
erature difference between state points 3 and 7 limits
References
the amount of recompression possible. Once it is
reduced to the minimum allowable pinch any further [1] Vaclav Dostal, Martin Kulhanek "Research on the
recompression would violate this assumption. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Cycles in the Czech
Republic" Proceedings of the S-CO2 Cycle
If total recuperator area is held constant recompression Symposium, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy
causes state point 8 to move away from state point 1. NY, April 29-30 2009
This increases the specific enthalpy difference over