Performance evaluation of CSP power tower plants schemes using supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton power block

Abstract

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Brayton cycle power blocks are among the most promising candidates to improve and replace current heat-to-electric conversion technology, both for fossil, nuclear and renewable power generation at utility-scale. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) based in sCO2 cycles also represent a potentially successful solution aiming to integrate higher efficiency power cycles in CSP plants for increasing efficiency and lowering the Levelized Cost Of Electricity (LCOE). Efficiency improvement potential of sCO2 power blocks seems clear for fossil and nuclear power plants by directly operating at higher temperatures than current subcritical steam Rankine cycles. However, for CSP it is not yet evident whether or not sCO2 power blocks could actually improve LCOE mainly due to cost uncertainty related to high temperature materials and power block components. Indeed, even improving plant efficiency is a challenge itself, since operating at higher temperatures increases heat losses in the rec...