Abstract
Abstract In the last few years, one considerable factor for the viability and interest in the closed-cycle gas turbine (GT) systems for nuclear or conventional power plant application is its potential to maintain high cycle performance at varying operating conditions. However, for this potential to be realized, more competitive analysis and understanding of its control strategy are importantly required. In this paper, the iterative procedure for three independent control strategies of a 40 MW single-shaft intercooled-recuperated closed-cycle GT incorporated to a generation IV nuclear reactor is been analyzed and their performance at various operating conditions compared. The rationale behind this analysis was to explore different control strategies and to identify potential limitations using each independent control. The inventory control strategy offered a more viable option for high efficiency at changes in ambient and part-load operations, however, operational limitations in terms of size and pressure of inventory tank, rotational speed for which the centrifugal forces acting on the blade tips could become too high, hence would affect the mechanical integrity and compressor performance. The bypass control responds rapidly to load rejection in the event of loss of grid power. And more interestingly, the results showed the need for a mixed or combined control instead of a single independent technique, which is limited in practice due to operational limits.
Highlights
In retrospect, the closed-cycle gas turbine is considerably ahead of its time in terms of technology readiness since its first commercial plant was built in 1939 by Escher Wyss [1]
An intercooled-recuperated closed cycle gas turbine shown in fig.1 and Table 1 was simulated using the selected control options discussed in this paper
The results showed that Heat Source Temperature Control (HST) control yielded fairly high efficiencies at both operating conditions; further reduction at part load using HST or inventory control system (ICS) could lead to mechanical failure of rotating parts [9,11,25]
Summary
The closed-cycle gas turbine is considerably ahead of its time in terms of technology readiness since its first commercial plant was built in 1939 by Escher Wyss [1]. There has been growing efforts in research and developments, on the improvement of existing designs, control systems and cycle performance, as well as new innovative concepts with different working fluid configurations [2]. The closed-cycle gas turbine offers viable prospect for stable conversion of nuclear or fossil fuels into electrical and heat energy due to (a) its easy adaptability (b) flexibility to changes in working fluid (c) high efficiency of electricity generation at part load (d) high level of availability and low maintenance cost. The closed-cycle gas turbine offers potential savings in operating cost due to its ability to relatively maintain high-performance efficiency under varying operating conditions, when
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