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In order to overcome reported failure problems of turbomachinery for the supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle induced by the high rotational speed and axial force, an axial impulse-type turbo-generator with a partial admission nozzle was designed and manufactured to reduce the rotational speed and axial force. The turbine wheel part was separated by carbon ring-type mechanical seals to use conventional oillubricated tilting-pad bearings. A simple transcritical cycle using a liquid CO2 pump was constructed to drive the turbogenerator. A 600,000 kcal/h LNG fired thermal oil boiler and 200 RT chiller were used as a heat source and heat sink. The target turbine inlet temperature and pressure were 200°C and 130 bar, respectively. Two printed circuit heat exchangers were manufactured for both sides of the heater and cooler. A leakage make-up system using a reciprocating CO2 compressor; CO2 supply valve-train to the main loop and mechanical seal; and an oil cooler for the bearings, load bank, and control systems were installed. Prior to the turbine power-generating operation, a turbine bypass loop was operated using an air-driven control valve to determine the system mass flow rate and create turbine inlet conditions. Then, 11 kW of electric power was obtained under 205°C and 100 bar turbine inlet conditions, and the continuous operating time was 45 min.

The development of a 60-kWe turbo generator that uses supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycle technology at the lab scale is described herein. The design concept for the turbo generator involved using commercially available components to reduce the developmental time and to increase the reliability of the machine. The developed supercritical partial-admission CO2 turbine has a single-stage axial-type design with a 73-mm rotor mean diameter. The design of the sCO2 turbine uses impulse and partial admission to reduce the axial force and rotational speed. We simulated the flow of the designed sCO2 turbine. To increase the simulation accuracy, a real gas property table is coupled with the flow solver. The turbine performance test apparatus and test results are described; then, the turbine is continuously operated for 44 min. The maximum turbine power is 25.4 kW, and the maximum electric power is 10.3 kWe.