96/01879 The closed Brayton cycle — A fuel neutral gas turbine to meet energy user's needs in the Pacific Rim nations

Abstract

The closed Brayton cycle (CBC) gas turbine is viewed as an attractive candidate for the Pacific Rim nations because the power conversion system can utilize a wide range of fuels. This would facilitate an orderly transition from the use of indigenous fuels (e.g. oil, gas, coal) and biomass (including refuse) to the ultimate application using uranium. Closed cycle gas turbines burning a variety of dirty fuels, and operating in a combined power plus heat mode, have seen over a million hours of operation in Europe. Based on a highly recuperated and intercooled cycle, efficiency values in the mid to upper forties can be realized with modest levels of turbine inlet temperature, and with acceptable emissions when burning dirty fuels. Unlike the Rankine cycle, sensible heat (i.e. hot water or steam from the precooler and intercooler) can be extracted after the power conversion system (without loss of plant efficiency) and this has economic worth. The major theme of this paper is to emphasize the fuel neutral nature of the CBC, and to show that the basic power conversion system will span the evolutionary energy supply market from the use of indigenous fuels to the ultimate use of uranium in a nuclearmore » gas turbine plant. The fact that the CBC is based on established and proven technology is emphasized, and is in concert with the desire and capability of the Pacific Rim nations to domestically fabricate their own power plants.« less