A High Performance Dry Gas Seal for High Temperature and Pressure Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles
Because of its potential for high efficiency power generation in comparison with traditional supercritical- or superheated-steam cycles, supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) is receiving much attention as a potential power cycle working fluid. The ability to generate more efficient power results in lower energy costs, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The sCO2 power cycle gains a sizable advantage as turbine inlet temperatures and pressures increase. To increase efficiency, and ultimately to make them economically viable, these systems require very high turbine inlet temperatures (up to 800°C) and pressures (up to 30 MPa). As a result, the need to advance technologies on the component level becomes essential. Components are required to run faster, hotter, and at higher system pressures in order to achieve the goals of these advanced system designs. Particularly critical are the seals of these systems. The handling of sCO2 at these conditions poses an interesting challenge. To address this challenge, Mechanical Solutions, Inc. (MSI) is developing a high-performance dry gas seal that will meet the demanding environmental conditions anticipated for future sCO2 power cycles. The proposed concept combines the best features of current dry gas seal technology with specific design enhancements and material combinations that provide effective sealing and long service life under these severe operating conditions. Through the work performed on the Phase I project, MSI has demonstrated that the design is feasible. By establishing discrete sealing chambers and effectively cooling the hot gas as it migrates through the seal assembly, MSI’s design is able to take advantage of present-day materials rather than relying on new material development breakthroughs. MSI’s technology will permit sCO2 research and development to continue unhampered by sealing challenges. This will in turn help the U.S. to maintain its leadership in sCO2 research, and bring this transformative technology to market for the benefit of nuclear as well as other power cycles. MSI’s seal design is envisioned to be an integral technology for sCO2 power systems, which will result in more efficient electrical generation, meaning reduced fuel consumption and waste, as well as avoidance of emissions and improved safety.
- Research Organization:
- Mechanical Solutions, Inc.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0018692
- OSTI ID:
- 1506975
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-MSI-18692-1; TR-172863
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
42 ENGINEERING
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
supercritical CO2
dry gas seals
non-contacting seals
upstream-pumping seals
floating ring
close-clearance
turbo-expanders
CO2 compressors
high temperature seals
high pressure seals