• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.877-887
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• 2022

A new reactor concept is described that directly couples a supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) power cycle with a CO₂-cooled, heavy water moderated pressure tube core. This configuration attains the simplification and economic potential of past direct-cycle sCO₂ concepts, while also providing safety and power density benefits by using the moderator as a heat sink for decay heat removal. A 200 MWe design is described that heavily leverages existing commercial nuclear technologies, including reactor and moderator systems from Canadian CANDU reactors and fuels and materials from UK Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs). Descriptions are provided of the power cycle, nuclear island systems, reactor core, and safety systems, and the results of safety analyses are shown illustrating the ability of the design to withstand large-break loss of coolant accidents. The resulting design attains high efficiency while employing considerably fewer systems than current light water reactors and advanced reactor technologies, illustrating its economic promise. Prospects for the design are discussed, including the ability to demonstrate its technologies in a small (~20 MWe) initial system, and avenues for further improvement of the design using advanced technologies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.109-118
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• 2006

Various indirect power cycle options for a helium cooled gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) with particular focus on a supercritical $CO_2(SCO_2)$ indirect cycle are investigated as an alternative to a helium cooled direct cycle GFR. The balance of plant (BOP) options include helium-nitrogen Brayton cycle, supercritical water Rankine cycle, and $SCO_2$ recompression Brayton power cycle in three versions: (1) basic design with turbine inlet temperature of $550^{\circ}C$, (2) advanced design with turbine inlet temperature of $650^{\circ}C$ and (3) advanced design with the same turbine inlet temperature and reduced compressor inlet temperature. The indirect $SCO_2$ recompression cycle is found attractive since in addition to easier BOP maintenance it allows significant reduction of core outlet temperature, making design of the primary system easier while achieving very attractive efficiencies comparable to or slightly lower than, the efficiency of the reference GFR direct cycle design. In addition, the indirect cycle arrangement allows significant reduction of the GFR &proximate-containment& and the BOP for the $SCO_2$ cycle is very compact. Both these factors will lead to reduced capital cost.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2008년도 추계학술대회B
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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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• 제47권6호
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• pp.647-661
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• 2015

The supercritical $CO_2$ (S-$CO_2$) Brayton cycle has recently been gaining a lot of attention for application to next generation nuclear reactors. The advantages of the S-$CO_2$ cycle are high efficiency in the mild turbine inlet temperature region and a small physical footprint with a simple layout, compact turbomachinery, and heat exchangers. Several heat sources including nuclear, fossil fuel, waste heat, and renewable heat sources such as solar thermal or fuel cells are potential application areas of the S-$CO_2$ cycle. In this paper, the current development progress of the S-$CO_2$ cycle is introduced. Moreover, a quick comparison of various S-$CO_2$ layouts is presented in terms of cycle performance.

• 대한기계학회논문집B
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• 제39권10호
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• pp.787-793
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• 2015

초임계 이산화탄소($S-CO_2$) 사이클은 소형화된 터보기계 및 열교환기를 통해서 작은 공간에서도 높은 열효율로 전력을 생산할 수 있는 잠재력을 가진 것으로 평가되고 있으며, 최근 이에 대한 관심이 증가하고 있다. 원자력 및 태양열(CSP) 분야에서 $S-CO_2$ 사이클에 대한 연구 결과가 다수 소개되어 온 반면, 폐열 분야에 대한 연구 결과는 상대적으로 많지 않다. 본 연구에서는 폐열 회수 응용 분야에 있어서, 예열에 의한 $S-CO_2$ 사이클의 성능 향상 가능성을 살피기 위하여, 재생 $S-CO_2$ 브레이튼 사이클과 예열기를 갖는 재생 $S-CO_2$ 브레이튼 사이클을 모델링하고 시뮬레이션 하였다. 시뮬레이션 결과, 순출력을 극대화시키는 최적 $CO_2$ 분기율이 존재함을 확인하였다. 본 연구의 시뮬레이션 조건 하에서, 예열기에 의한 순출력 향상은 약 16-26%로 계산되었다.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.531-536
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• 2016

세계적으로 온실가스저감에 대한 요구가 높아지고 있는 가운데 고효율 발전 시스템의 개발에 대한 연구개발이 꾸준히 진행되고 있다. 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전기술은 효율 향상과 소형화, 다양성의 장점을 가지고 있어, 2000년대 이후 세계 여러 나라에서 연구개발에 박차를 가하고 있다. 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전 시스템은 $CO_2$를 작동유체로 하는 발전 시스템으로 크게 간접가열방식과 직접가열방식으로 구분될 수 있다. 현재, 대부분의 연구는 간접가열방식의 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전 시스템 개발에 집중되어 있고, 미국은 NREL을 중심으로 태양열 연계 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전 시스템을 개발 중이며, DOE는 올 해 화력 연계 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전 시스템 개발에 대한 투자도 시작할 계획이다. GE는 10MW급 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전 시스템 개발뿐만 아니라, 50MW급과 450MW급 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전시스템의 개념 설계도 진행 중에 있다. 우리 나라에서는 원자력연구원이 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전시험 설비를 구축해오고 있으며, 한국전력공사 전력연구원은 현대중공업과 함께 디젤 및 가스엔진 폐열을 이용하여 2MW급 초임계 $CO_2$ 발전시스템 개발을 진행 중에 있다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제41권6호
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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.

• 한국유체기계학회 논문집
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.95-103
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• 2014

During the international effort to develop the next generation nuclear reactor technologies, many new power cycle concepts were derived to improve efficiency and reduce the capital cost. Among many innovative power cycles, it was identified that the supercritical $CO_2$ (S-$CO_2$) Brayton cycle technology has a big potential to outperform the existing steam cycle and eventually replace it. The S-$CO_2$ cycle achieves high efficiency with very compact size, which is the ultimate advantage for a power cycle to have. The S-$CO_2$ cycle has a great potential not only for the future nuclear applications but also for general heat sources such as coal, natural gas, and concentrated solar. In this paper, a brief introduction to the S-$CO_2$ power cycle technologies will be first provided, and a short summary of current research and development status of the power cycle technology around the world will be followed. Especially the research works performed by KAIST, KAERI and several related research institutions in Korea will be reviewed in more detail, since they have recently developing a strong infrastructure to test these ideas by constructing a demonstration facility while producing many innovative ideas to improve and realize the concept.

• 대한기계학회논문집B
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• 제40권10호
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• pp.673-679
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• 2016

초임계 이산화탄소 사이클은 소형화 및 효율 향상에 대한 잠재력 때문에 최근 관심이 증가하고 있으며, 원자력, 태양열(CSP) 및 화력 발전 분야에서 활발히 연구되고 있다. 이와 관련하여, 본 논문에서는 한국에너지기술연구원(KIER)의 초임계 이산화탄소 동력 사이클 연구 내용과 현황을 소개하였다. 1 단계 연구에서는 단순 초임계 브레이튼 사이클 실험 루프를 제작 및 시운전 하였으며, 현재 진행중인 2 단계 연구에서는 두개의 터빈과 두개의 재생기를 갖는 초임계 이중(dual) 브레이튼 사이클을 설계 및 제작하고 있다. 최적 설계를 위한 초임계 이중 브레이튼 사이클 모델링 및 시뮬레이션 결과, 본 연구에서 고려한 조건하에서, 사이클의 순출력을 극대화시키는 설계 변수가 존재함을 확인하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.699-714
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• 2021

Supercritical CO₂ (S-CO₂) Brayton cycle has been applied to various heat sources in recent decades, owing to the characteristics of compact structure and high efficiency. Understanding the research development in this emerging research field is crucial for future study. Thus, a bibliometric approach is employed to analyze the scientific publications of S-CO₂ cycle field from 2000 to 2019. In Scopus database, there were totally 724 publications from 1378 authors and 543 institutes, which were distributed over 55 countries. Based on the software-BibExcel, these publications were analyzed from various aspects, such as major research areas, affiliations and keyword occurrence frequency. Furthermore, parameters such as citations, hot articles were also employed to evaluate the research output of productive countries, institutes and authors. The analysis showed that each paper has been cited 13.39 times averagely. United States was identified as the leading country in S-CO₂ research followed by China and South Korea. Based on the contents of publications, existing researches on S-CO₂ are briefly reviewed from the five aspects, namely application, cycle configurations and modeling, CO₂-based mixtures, system components, and experiments. Future development is suggested to accelerate the commercialization of S-CO₂ power system.