Energy 179 (2019) 442e453

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Energy
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/energy

Aerodynamic design of the high pressure and low pressure axial

turbines for the improved coal-fired recompression SCO2 reheated
Brayton cycle
Wanlong Han a, b, Yifan Zhang a, Hongzhi Li a, *, Mingyu Yao a, **, Yueming Wang a,
Zhenping Feng b, Dong Zhou c, d, Guangju Dan c
a
Xi'an Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Xi'an, 710054, China
b
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
c
Chongqing Jiangjin Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., Chongqing, 402263, China
d
National Engineering Laboratory for Marine and Ocean Engineering Power System, Shanghai, 201108, China

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: A new type of improved coal-fired recompression SCO2 Brayton cycle with a second split flow to the
Received 9 December 2018 boiler was introduced. The design parameters of the high and low pressure turbines of the above SCO2
Received in revised form Brayton cycle were determined based on a consideration of the economics of the SCO2 system and the
29 April 2019
realization of the equipment. The self-compiled mean-line design program for two-stage SCO2 axial
Accepted 2 May 2019
turbines was used to design the high and low pressure turbines for the 5 MW SCO2 Brayton cycle, with
Available online 8 May 2019
the important design data of the two turbines being given. RANS equations and the SST Turbulence
Model were chosen for numerical simulation of the aerodynamic performance of two turbines in the
Keywords:
Axial SCO2 turbine
design point and variable operating conditions that used ANSYS CFX and the real physical property data
SCO2 Brayton cycle file of SCO2 from NIST software. Numerical results indicated that the isentropic efficiency of the SCO2
Design parameter high pressure turbine and low pressure turbine with a good variable operating performance are 82.88%
Real physical properties and 82.26% in the design point, respectively. The output power of the high pressure turbine and low
Aerodynamic performance pressure turbine are 3,251 kW and 6,156 kW, respectively, in the design point, which can meet the design
Variable operating conditions requirements. The Cps curves, limited streamline spectrums, and the Mach number contours of the root,
middle and top flow field of the turbine blades is reasonable.
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
In the 1960s, Feher [1] and Angelino [2] proposed the concept of
a closed supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) Brayton cycle system.
They pointed out that SCO2 has a relatively large ratio of heat ca-
pacity and a high density near the critical point, which can reduce
the compression power and make the cycle achieve higher thermal
efficiency. In the last twenty years, the SCO2 Brayton cycle, with the
advantages of high energy density, low compression power, no
phase change in the cycle, low initial investment, and low operating
cost, was considered to be widely used in future power systems,
* Corresponding author.
** Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: lihongzhi@tpri.com.cn (H. Li), yaomingyu@tpri.com.cn
(M. Yao).
such as coal-fired power plants, nuclear power plants, and solar
thermal power stations [3e7].
Much work has been done in recent years on the design and
development of the advanced SCO2 Brayton cycle system and its
high performance SCO2 turbines from the micro power level (less
than 100 kW), the small power level (100e1.000 kW), the small-
medium power level (1e10 MW), the medium-large power level
to the large power level (100e1.000 MW). For example, Wright
et al. [8,9] built a 100 kW SCO2 Brayton cycle system and pointed
out that the performance indicators of the SCO2 turbine and
compressor directly affect the efficiency of the whole cycle system.
Reference [9] presented the design parameters and detailed test
data of the turbine and compressor at different speeds. In the ex-
periments, turbine and compressor rotors had reached the highest
rotation speed of 65000 rpm, but did not reach the design speed of
75,000 rpm. In addition, it was pointed out that the sealing form
and leakage characteristics still need to be further studied.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.05.016
0360-5442/© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453 443

Thirumalai et al. [10] published a 1D design method for small-sized system. The above research work has reference value and guidance
radial turbines for a simple SCO2 Brayton cycle test based on the significant for the aerodynamic design of SCO2 turbines of different
turbomachinery theory. Based on the NIST REFPROP database, Lv power levels.
et al. [11] presented a one-dimensional model for the aerodynamic To study the coal-fire SCO2 Brayton cycle and relevant key
design optimization of a radial-inflow SCO2 turbine. Lee et al. [12] equipments in depth, a 5MWe level improved coal-fired recom-
developed the TurboDesign program based on real gas properties pression SCO2 Brayton cycle with a second split flow to the boiler is
and used this program to design the SCO2 axial turbine and radial proposed and designed by Xi'an Thermal Power Research Institute
turbine, and the author also pointed out that the accuracy of the Co., Ltd [7]. In this paper, the 5MWe SCO2 test loop was introduced
program needed further experimental verification. Wang et al. first, with the design scheme and aerodynamic performance of the
[13,14] designed a 75 kW level partial radial inlet SCO2 turbine and high and low pressure turbines in the test loop investigated.
offered a thorough numerical analysis of the unsteady flow field in
the turbine performed in ANSYS CFX. Holaind et al. [15] presented a
2. 5MWe SCO2 cycle description
theoretical and CFD study on SCO2 cycle systems with the target
output power of 50e100 kW, pointing out that the efficiency of the
The schematic diagram of the 5MWe SCO2 test loop is shown in
radial turbine and compressor are 70% and 76%, respectively.
Fig. 1. This SCO2 Brayton cycle is an improved coal-fired recom-
Odabaee et al. [16] simulated the aerodynamic performance of a
pression SCO2 Brayton cycle with a second split flow to the boiler. In
100 kW SCO2 radial turbine, where the difference of the simulation
this cycle, waste SCO2 from the low temperature recuperator (LTR)
results between the RGP file based on the NIST database and the
is divided into two streams. One stream goes through the pre-
fitted SCO2 gas state equation were compared. Zhou et al. [17]
cooler (PC) and is compressed and heated in the main
designed an SCO2 radial turbine with an output power of 1.5 MW
compressor (MC) and LTR simultaneously. The other stream is
based on 1D and 3D CFD analysis, where its total-static efficiency
compressed in the recompressor (RC) and merged with the first
was 85%. Zhang et al. [18] combined the NIST physical program with
stream at point 3, as shown in Fig. 1. Subsequently, a second split
the SCO2 turbine aerodynamic design program to design a 1.5 MW
flow is employed to reasonably utilize the flue gas waste heat. The
radial turbine and a 15 MW axial turbine. Luo et al. [19] designed a
SCO2 is divided into two streams once more, after the merge point.
10.07 MW single-stage centrifugal SCO2 turbine with a total-to-
One stream goes through the cold side of a high temperature
static efficiency of 89%, which has been verified by numerical
recuperator (HTR), while the other stream is sent to the low tem-
simulation. Cha et al. [20] designed a 4 stage SCO2 axial turbine
perature economizer (LECO), which is arranged in front of the air
with a design output power of 983 MW, and pointed out that the
pre-heater (AP) in the boiler flue. From the LECO and HTR, the two
numerical results were slightly different from the design data
streams of SCO2 are merged and sent to the gas wall of the boiler.
which seems to come from the difference of fluid properties and
The superheated SCO2 from the boiler is sent to the high pressure
loss models. Schmitt et al. [21] performed an aerodynamic design
turbine (HPT) and the reheated SCO2 is sent to the low pressure
and CFD analysis on the first stage guide vanes of a 100 MW axial
turbine (LPT). The waste SCO2 from the LPT flows into the HTR and
turbine with an inlet temperature of 1,350 K, and the results of the
LTR to heat the high pressure SCO2. Finally, the closed cycle is
real fluid simulation showed that aerodynamic losses caused the
formed.
stage efficiency to be about 4% below the design target value of 90%.
In front of the design of the HPT and LPT, necessary boundary
Bidkaret al. [22] announced the design scheme of 7 stage axial high/
working conditions have to be determined, including those of the
low pressure turbines applied to the 450 MW level SCO2 cycle
inlet temperature, inlet pressure, expansion ratio, mass flow rate,

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the 5MWe SCO2 test loop.

444 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453

Fig. 3. Influences of LPT inlet pressure on net efficiency and proportion of Qb2.
Fig. 2. Influences of HPT inlet pressure on maximum net efficiency.

14.6 MPa, which means that only convection heating surfaces for
and expected isentropic efficiency. A representative value of 600
C
reheating in the boiler are enough. And the relevant net efficiency
is chosen as the inlet temperatures of HPT and LPT, as it is the most
decreases only by 0.04% when compared to the maximum one. The
commonly used turbine inlet temperature of the state-of-the-art
detail parameters and the enthalpy-entropy diagram of the 5MWe
USC steam power plants [23], which can avoid using a nickel-
SCO2 test loop are presented in Table 1 and Fig. 4.
based alloy. The expected efficiencies of HPT and LPT are 82% [24].
The inlet pressure, expansion ratio and mass flow rate are
determined according to the optimization calculations of the 3. SCO2 turbine design
5MWe SCO2 cycle, using SCO2CD-TPRI, an in-house code of a coal-
fired SCO2 power cycle. All the nodal equilibrium equations used in From Table 1, it can be seen that the design parameters of HPT
the system calculation in this paper have been published in the and LPT are determined based on the performance optimization of
literature [7] published by the same group of researchers. Fig. 2 the SCO2 Brayton power generation system and the realization of
shows the influences of the inlet pressure of HPT on maximum the equipment. Generally, when compared to other turbines, the
net efficiency. In these calculations, the inlet temperature of MC is inlet/outlet parameters of SCO2 turbines are characterized by the
35
C; the inlet pressure of MC is 7.9 MPa; the efficiencies of MC and middle-high pressure grade, low pressure ratio, high exit temper-
RC equal 77%; the minimum heat transfer temperature difference of ature, and low inlet/outlet temperature drop. The design parame-
LTR, HTR and PC is 5
C; and the boiler efficiency is 94%, with the ters of HPT and LPT are shown in Table 2.
expansion ratios of HPT and LPT assumed to be the same. In Fig. 2, According to the design parameters of HPT and LPT, the turbine
with a given inlet pressure of HPT, such as P5 equaling 18 MPa, the design scheme can be chosen from the axial flow, mixed flow, and
net efficiency increases with the split ratio (a) and then decreases. radial flow schemes. Considering that the turbine works in a high
This means that there is a maximum net efficiency under an temperature and high pressure environment, the cooling structure,
optimal a, with a given inlet pressure of HPT. With P5 equaling 14, dry gas seal, and support and bearing auxiliary system should be
16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 MPa, the maximum net efficiencies are designed and installed on the main shaft and volute of the turbine.
27.16%, 30.59%, 32.59%, 33.93%, 34.65%, 35.18%, and 35.51%, This is necessary so as to ensure that there is sufficient space in both
respectively; the corresponding optimal a are 0.39, 0.37, 0.35, 0.33, the axial and radial direction of the main shaft and volute of the
0.31, 0.3, and 0.29. It is found that the maximum net efficiency turbine. Further, the rotor dynamics, structural reliability and noise
increases with the inlet pressure of HPT. However, the growing rate level should also be considered before the turbine design work of
gets smaller; hence, 20 MPa is chosen as the inlet pressure of HPT,
so as to get a relatively high net efficiency of the 5MWe SCO2 cycle Table 1
and keep a reasonable cost of the test loop. Main design parameters of the 5MWe SCO2 test loop.
After knowing the inlet pressure of HPT, a reasonable inlet
Equipment parameter Unit Value Equipment parameter Unit Value
pressure of LPT has to be obtained. Fig. 3 shows the influences of
the LPT inlet pressure on the net efficiency and heat load of the SR to Recompressor / 0.33 HPT work MW 3.25
SR to Economizer / 0.06 LPT work MW 6.17
reheat heating surfaces in the boiler. From Fig. 3, we can see that
HPT-IP MPa 20.00 MC work MW 2.10
the net efficiency first increases with the inlet pressure of LPT (P7) HPT-IT

C 600.0 RC work MW 2.29
and then decreases. A maximum net efficiency of 34.04% occurs HP expansion ratio / 1.32 Boiler duty MW 13.65
when P7 equals 13.63 MPa. However, under this condition, the LPT-IP MPa 14.60 LTR duty MW 11.17


proportion of the heat load of the reheat heating surfaces in the LPT-IT C 600.0 HTR duty MW 32.14
LP expansion ratio / 1.74 PC duty MW 8.61
boiler (Qb2) is 31.28%, which is so high that a radiation reheat MC-IP MPa 7.90 Net capacity MWe 5.00
heating surface has to be used in the furnace [25,26]. This presents MC-IT

C 35.0 Boiler efficiency % 94.00
a challenge of structural design to arrange a radiation reheat MC PR / 2.72 MC efficiency % 77.00
heating surface in a 2 m  2 m  11 m furnace, which is meaning- RC-IP MPa 8.00 RC efficiency % 77.00


RC-IT C 99.0 LPT efficiency % 82.00
less in such a 5MWe SCO2 boiler. Hence, a compromise option of P7
RC PR / 2.66 HPT efficiency % 82.00
is selected, i.e. 14.6 MPa Qb2 decreases to 25.82% when P7 equals Mass Flow Rate t/h 306.00 Net efficiency % 34.00
 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453 445

physical property in the CFD calculation. After the blade curve

optimization and preliminary CFD verification, the important
design parameters of the final design schemes of the SCO2 high/low
pressure turbines were obtained, as shown in Table 3.
As shown in Fig. 6, the constant-middle-diameter scheme was
adopted to design the meridian plane of HPT and LPT, as the scheme
can make both the upper and lower expansion angles smaller and is
easier for reducing the aerodynamic losses. Dh and Dl are the radius
of the constant-middle-line of HPT and LPT, respectively. The
maximum linear velocity of the rotor blades of HPT and LPT is
158 m/s and 167 m/s, respectively. An annulus labyrinth seal at the
top of the rotor blade and the bottom of the second stator blade can
reduce the tip and bottom leakage losses.
As the diameter-height-ratio of each row blade is between 12
and 20, all the blades are short blades and the difference of the
reaction degree along the rotor blade height is minimal. The
aerodynamic effect of the positive bending and the twisted blade
profile is not obvious. Considering the processing cost increase and
the benefit for the aerodynamic performance of short blades, the
Fig. 4. The enthalpy-entropy diagram of the 5MWe SCO2 test loop.
design scheme of the straight cascades and the barycenter stacking
was adopted to design all the blades of HPT and LPT. The larger the
Table 2 radius of the trailing edge of the blade, the greater the wake loss.
Design parameters of HPT and LPT. However, if the trailing edge radius is too small, the trailing edge
Inlet Inlet Mass flow Outlet Isentropic will be deformed during production and processing. Considering
temperature
C pressure MPa t$h1 pressure MPa efficiency % the grade of the blade working environment, the strength
HTP 600 20 306 15.1 82
requirement of the blade, and the processing ability of the blade
LTP 600 14.6 306 8.4 82 manufacturer, the diameter of the blade trailing edge is set to
0.8 mm. In order to reduce the residual velocity loss, the axial inlet
and outlet form was adopted to design the two stages of HPT and
HPT and LPT. Therefore, the design scheme of a two-stage axial flow LPT.
turbine with a lower rotational speed and larger radial outlet space After mean-line aerodynamic design optimization, the inlet
is adopted for the detail design of HPT and LPT. blade height of the first stage stator of HPT is 0.101Dh; the outlet
The design flow of SCO2 turbines is shown in Fig. 5. In the blade height of the last stage rotor blade is 0.120Dh; and the
aerodynamic design process of the SCO2 axial turbine, the accuracy isentropic efficiency of HPT is increased to 82.76%. The first stage
of the physical properties of the working fluid is very important. In stator blade height of LPT was 0.118Dl and the outlet blade height of
this paper, the NIST database is combined with the mean-line axial the last stage rotor was 0.160Dl. The isentropic efficiency of LPT was
flow turbine design program [27,28], with the real SCO2 physical increased to 83.56%. The blade curves of the HPT and LPT are shown
data directly invoked in the mean-line aerodynamic calculate of the in Figs. 7e9.
turbine. RANS equations and an SST Turbulence Model were chosen
for numerical study on the aerodynamic performance of the SCO2 4. Numerical simulation
turbines using the commercial software ANSYS CFX [24,29e32]. An
SCO2 physical property data file from the NIST database was made 4.1. Aerodynamic performance of HPT
for the CFX software so as to ensure the accuracy of the SCO2
4.1.1. Static pressure coefficient distribution
The static pressure coefficient (Cps) [24] along the relative chord
length in the axial direction can deeply reflect the blade loading
distribution of the cascades and the flow information of the
boundary layer of the blade surface. It is one of the important in-
dexes for judging the aerodynamic performance of the cascades.
As shown in Fig. 10, there are four features in the static pressure
coefficient distribution of the four blades of HPT:

1) The mainstream fluid flows into all the cascades at small posi-
tive angles, with a small partial over-expansion area at each
leading edge in the suction sides, which make the load coeffi-
cient of two stage cascades a little higher than the design
parameter in Table 3.
2) The boundary layer fluid at the pressure surface of each cascade
is accelerated gradually under the pressure gradient, without a
boundary layer accumulation or separation phenomenon
occurring.
3) The boundary layer fluid in the axial 10e60% region of each
cascade suction surface is accelerated rapidly under the larger
pressure gradient, reaching the lowest pressure region in the
Fig. 5. SCO2 turbine design process. 60e70% axial position before moving to the tail edge under the
446 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453

Table 3
The aerodynamic parameters of HPT and LPT.

Design parameters HPT LPT

Turbine scheme Axial Axial

Stage number 2 2
Rotating speed 10,000 rpm 10,000 rpm
Flow coefficient 0.4 0.6
Load coefficient 0.9 1.5
Reaction degree of the first stage 0.45 0.2
Solidity of stator and rotor blade of the first stage 1.47/1.62 1.27/1.82
Stator and rotor blade number of the first stage 67/89 66/88
Reaction degree of the second stage 0.45 0.2
Solidity of stator and rotor blade of the second stage 1.43/1.70 1.27/1.84
Stator and rotor blade number of the second stage 67/89 65/85
Isentropic efficiency 82.76% 83.56%
Power output 3,280 kW 6,287 kW

Fig. 6. The meridianal channel schematics of HPT and LPT.

smaller reverse pressure gradient and free shear with the high
speed fluid of the main flow. The thickness of the boundary layer
gradually increases before the downstream of the lowest pres-
sure point. Due to the inverse pressure gradient being small and
the shortness of the inverse pressure distance, there is no sep-
aration phenomenon of the suction boundary layer and the
suction boundary layer subsequently flows into the wake.
4) There is a large over-expansion area on the pressure side of each
blade tail edge. The reason being that the radius of each tail edge
is relatively a little large, leading to the boundary layer in the
pressure side rapidly expanding into the low pressure wake area
in the short distance.
The aerodynamic performance of the above cascades of HPT
with aft-loading profiles is excellent, except that the trailing edge
loss is slightly large.
4.1.2. Limited streamline spectrum of blade suction surface
As shown in Fig. 11, there are some features in the limited
streamline spectrum of each blade suction of the HPT:
1) The limited streamlines starting at the leading edge and stop-
ping at the trailing edge, in the most middle area of the static
and rotor blade surface, are evenly distributed. There is no
separation area or separation line found near the leading edge.
2) There are two three-dimensional separation areas near the
upper and lower endwalls and trailing edge of each cascade. For
two stator suction surfaces, the upper separation area is similar
to the lower one. For two rotor suction surfaces, the lower
separation area is obviously larger than the upper one due to the
effect of centrifugal force.
These features show that, under the shear action between the
main flow and suction boundary fluid and the inertial force of the
suction boundary layer, there is no partial separation region in the
majority of the middle span, the over-expansion area near the
leading edge, and the negative pressure gradient region near the
trailing edge of the suction surfaces of the cascades. The suction
boundary layer overcomes the adverse effect of the negative
pressure gradient, with the aerodynamic performance of the cas-
cades being excellent. What is more, in the rotor cascades, the
 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453
Fig. 7. Blade curves of HPT.
centrifugal force can promote the radial migration of the boundary
layer at the bottom area of the blade surface, with the reverse radial
migration of the upper area of the blade surface being restrained, so
that the vorticity of the lower passage vortex of the suction surfaces
is obviously larger than that of the upper one.
4.1.3. Mach number distribution
The Mach number distribution contours of the 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9
relative heights of all the cascades of HPT are shown in Fig. 12. The
Mach number from each cascade inlet to the exit is changed more
continuously, with the maximum Mach number appearing in the
middle and rear of the suction surface. The Mach number in two
stator cascades decreases gradually from the root to the top of the
blade span; in the two rotor cascades, the Mach number increases
gradually from the root to the top of the blade span. The thickness
of the boundary layer in the tail region of the blade suction surface
of each cascade is gradually increased, with the thickness not
exceeding twice that of the thickness of the boundary layer of the
pressure surface of each cascades. The Mach number distribution at
different heights of HPT is reasonable. The cascades of HPT are the
subsonic cascade, with the inlet and outlet Mach Numbers/relative
Mach Numbers being consistent with the design values.
4.1.4. Performance of HPT in variable operating conditions
The detailed CFD results showed that the mass flow of HPT is
447
85.32 kg/s and the output power is 3,251 kW in the design point,
meeting the design requirements, and which is a little less than the
design values in Table 3. The inlet and outlet pressures of HPT are
affected by the variable working conditions of the whole SCO2 test
loop. Therefore, when the system is under variable working con-
ditions, in order to maintain a constant current frequency of 50 Hz,
the HPT control method is the constant speed adjustment. In order
to study the aerodynamic performance of HPT deeply, the mass
flow, isentropic efficiency, and output power in the variable
working conditions are numerically calculated with the changing
pressure ratio (Pr) of the turbine inlet and outlet, as shown in
Fig. 13. Specifically, for the same inlet temperature, as the pressure
ratio increases from 1.13 to the design pressure ratio of 1.32, the
mass flow and output power of HPT increases rapidly to the design
value. As the pressure ratio moves from the design pressure ratio to
1.70, although the growth rate of the two parameters decreases
slightly, it still increases at a relatively fast speed. When the pres-
sure ratio is greater than 1.7, the mass flow and output power of
HPT still increases at an increasingly slower speed. Simultaneously,
the isentropic efficiency of the high pressure turbine first increases
and then subsequently decreases with the increase of the pressure
ratio. When the pressure ratio is less than 1.32, the isentropic ef-
ficiency increases rapidly before reaching 82.83% at the design
pressure ratio. With the increase of the pressure ratio, the isen-
tropic efficiency value is slightly lower than that of the design value
448 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453

Fig. 8. Blade curves of LPT.

Fig. 10. Static pressure coefficient at the middle blade sections of HPT.

Fig. 9. 3D geometric models of SCO2 turbines.

 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453 449

Fig. 11. Limited streamlines of the suction surface of HPT.

Fig. 12. Relative Mach number contour of HPT at different heights.

at first and then gradually decreases. coefficient distribution of the four blades of LPT:

4.2. Aerodynamic performance of LPT 1) The mainstream fluid flows into the two static cascades at small
positive angles in the range of 3e7
, meaning that there is one
4.2.1. Static pressure coefficient distribution partial over-expansion area at each leading edge in the suction
As shown in Fig. 14, there are six features in the static pressure sides. The mainstream fluid flows into the two rotor cascades at
450 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453
Fig. 13. Variable operating performance of HPT.
Fig. 14. Static pressure coefficient at the middle blade sections of LPT.
small angles in the range of 3-3
, leading to two partial over-
expansion areas at each leading edge in the pressure sides and
suction sides of the rotor cascades.
2) The boundary layer fluid at the pressure surface of each cascade
accelerates gradually under the pressure gradient, with no
boundary layer accumulation or separation phenomenon being
found.
3) The boundary layer fluid in the axial 10e68% region of the two
static cascade suction surfaces accelerate rapidly under the
larger pressure gradient, reaching the lowest pressure region in
the 68e75% axial position before moving to the tailing edge
under the smaller reverse pressure gradient and free shear with
the high speed fluid of the main flow. The lowest pressure point
of the first static cascade suction is closer to the tailing edge than
that of the second static cascade suction.
4) The lowest pressure point of the suction surface of the first rotor
cascades occurs at the 0.45 relative axial chord, with the
boundary layer of the suction surface then entering a long small
reverse pressure gradient segment. It can be judged that the
thickness of the boundary layer after the lowest pressure point
in the suction surface is generally increased and the total
pressure loss of the cascades is greater than that of the other
cascades.
5) The Cps curve of the suction surface of the second rotor cascade
can be divided into three parts. The first and the third parts are
the positive pressure gradients, the middle part is the uniform
loading area, with the entire suction surface having almost no
reverse pressure gradient. Thus, the aerodynamic performance
of the second rotor cascades is superior to that of the other
cascades.
6) There is a large over-expansion area on the pressure side of each
blade tail edge that is the same as the HPT, with the boundary
layer in the pressure side rapidly expanding into the low pres-
sure area in a short distance.
Of all the Cps curves of all the cascades in Fig. 14, the aero-
dynamic performance of the first static cascades is better than that
of the second static cascade. Further, the aerodynamic performance
of the second rotor cascade is better than that of the first rotor
cascade. The blade loading of two static cascades is higher than that
of two rotor cascades, because the reaction degrees of the first stage
and the second stage of LPT are both 0.2. The aerodynamic per-
formance of the above cascades of LPT is excellent, except for the
fact that the trailing edge loss is slightly large.
4.2.2. Limited streamline spectrum of blade suction surface
As shown in Fig. 15, there are some characteristics of the wall
limited streamline spectrum of the four suction surfaces of LPT:
1) The limited streamlines in the most middle area of all the suc-
tion surfaces start at the leading edge and stop at the trailing
edge and are evenly distributed. There is no separation area or
separation line found near the leading edge.
2) There are two three-dimensional separation areas near the
upper and lower endwalls and the trailing edge of each cascade.
For two stator suction surfaces, the upper separation areas are
similar to those of the lower one. For two rotor suction surfaces,
the lower separation area is obviously larger than that of the
upper one, because the longer blade height is, the stronger the
influence of centrifugal force on the motion of low-energy fluid
at the same rotational speed.
3) As the first rotor blade of LPT is the mid-loading profile, the
lateral pressure gradient near the hub endwall position and the
total pressure loss of the lower separation area of LPT are both
larger than that of the first rotor blade of HPT.
 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453 451

Fig. 15. Limited streamlines of the suction surface of LPT.

Fig. 16. Relative Mach number contour of HPT at different heights.

452 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453
Fig. 17. Variable operating performance of LPT.
4.2.3. Mach number distribution
As shown in Fig. 16, the Mach number distribution contours of
the 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9 relative heights of all the cascades of LPT are very
similar to the cascades of HPT. Except for the Mach number dis-
tribution characteristics mentioned above in section 4.1.3, the
thickness of the boundary layer in the bottom region of the first
rotor blade suction surface of LPT increases faster than that of HPT,
with the thickness exceeding almost four times as much as the
thickness of the boundary layer of the pressure surface of the other
cascades. In addition, as the reaction of each stage of LPT is lower
than that of HPT, the maximum Mach number in two static cas-
cades of the LPT is significantly higher than the maximum relative
Mach number of two rotor cascades of LPT. On the whole, the Mach
number distribution at different heights of LPT is reasonable. The
cascades of LPT are the subsonic cascade, with the inlet and outlet
Mach Numbers/relative Mach Numbers being consistent with the
design values.
4.2.4. Performance of LPT in variable operating conditions
The detailed CFD result shows that the mass flow of LPT is
85.73 kg/s and the output power is 6,156 kW in the design point,
the isentropic efficiency of LPT considering the three-dimensional
cascade flow decreases slightly due to the increase of the trans-
verse secondary flow loss in the rotor cascades, which is close to
meeting the design requirements in Table 2 and Table 3. The con-
stant speed adjustment method was used to study the aerodynamic
performance of LPT under variable working conditions.
As shown in Fig. 17, in the design inlet temperature, as the
pressure ratio increases from 1.21 to the design pressure ratio of
1.73, the mass flow and output power of LPT increases rapidly to the
design value. As the pressure ratio increases from the design
pressure ratio to 1.73, although the growth rate of two parameters
decreases slightly, it still increases at a relatively fast speed. When
the pressure ratio is greater than 1.73, the mass flow and output
power of LPT still increases at an increasingly slower speed.
Simultaneously, the isentropic efficiency of the high pressure tur-
bine increases and subsequently decreases with the increase of the
pressure ratio. When the pressure ratio is less than 1.73, the isen-
tropic efficiency increases rapidly, subsequently reaching 82.26% at
the design pressure ratio, and compared with the design parame-
ters in Table 3, the isentropic efficiency of LPT considering the
three-dimensional cascade flow decreases slightly, due to the in-
crease of the transverse secondary flow loss in the rotor cascades.
With the increase of the pressure ratio, the isentropic efficiency
value is slightly lower than the design value at first and then
gradually decreases.
5. Conclusion
1) To study the coal-fire SCO2 Brayton cycle and its relevant key
equipment in depth, the 5MWe level improved coal-fired
recompression SCO2 Brayton cycle with a second split flow to
the boiler was introduced, and the net efficiency of the test loop
can reach the objective of 34%. Considering the economics of the
SCO2 system and the realization of the SCO2 turbines, the opti-
mization parameters of the SCO2 Brayton cycle and design pa-
rameters of the high and low pressure turbines were given.
2) It is essential, in the aerodynamic design and CFD calculation
process of the SCO2 turbine, that the real property of SCO2 from
the NIST software is fully considered. The design schemes of the
two stage axial turbine and important design parameters of the
SCO2 high and low pressure turbines were given.
3) In the flow field of SCO2 axial flow turbines with the output
power of 3 MW and 6 MW, besides the leakage loss, the endwall
loss and wake loss account for a large proportion of aero-
dynamic loss of turbines. Because the SCO2 axial flow turbines
with small-medium power classes have the characteristics of
the higher rotational speed and the thicker endwall boundary
layer, the lower separation zone is obviously larger than the
upper separation zone in the flow field of rotational blade cas-
cades with the longer blade height and the smaller reaction
degree.
4) Verified by the detailed CFD calculation, the Cps curves, limited
streamline spectrums, and the maximum Mach number con-
tours of the flow field of all the cascades of HPT and LPT are
reasonable. The maximal isentropic efficiency of the SCO2 high
and low pressure turbines had good variable operating perfor-
mances of 82.88% and 82.26%, respectively. The output power of
the high and low pressure turbines are, respectively, 3,251 kW
and 6,156 kW in the design point, which can meet the design
requirements.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the
National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFB1501004), National
Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51706181, Grant No.
51806172), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (Grant No.
2017M613294XB), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Shaanxi
Province of China (Grant No. 2017BSHQYXMZZ08), Key Programs of
 W. Han et al. / Energy 179 (2019) 442e453 453

China Huaneng Group (Grant No. HNKJ15-H07) and Youth Talents turbomachineries. In: ASME 2012 conference, copenhagen, Denmark; 2012.
p. 1e9.
Support Program in Shaanxi Province of China (ZD-18-SST04).
[13] Wang Y, et al. Study on aerodynamic performance of a partial-admission
supercritical carbon dioxide radial-inflow turbine. Therm Turb 2016;45(3):
Nomenclature 184e8.
[14] Wang Y, et al. Investigation on unsteady flow of a partial-admission super-
critical carbon dioxide turbine. Therm Turb 2016;45(3):184e8.
[15] Holaind N, et al. Design of radial turbomachinery for supercritical CO2 sys-
Abbreviation tems using theoretical and numerical CFD methodologies. Energy Procedia
AP air preheater 2017;123:313e20.
P P [16] Odabaee M, et al. CFD simulation of a supercritical carbon dioxide radial-
Cps the static pressure coefficient, Cps ¼ *local out;T inflow turbine, comparing the results of using real gas equation of estate
P inlet;T Pout;T
Dh the radius of the constant-middle-line of HPT and real gas property file. Appl Mech Mater 2016;846:85e90.
Dl the radius of the constant-middle-line of LPT [17] Zhou Aozheng, et al. Aerodynamic design and numerical analysis of a radial
inflow turbine for the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle. Appl Therm
HPT high pressure turbine Eng 2018;132:245e55.
HTR high temperature recuperator [18] Zhang H, et al. Aerothermodynamic design and numerical investigation of
LECO low temperature economizer supercritical carbon a turbionne. In: ASME 2015 conference, Montreal, Can-
ada; 2015. p. 1e9.
LPT low pressure turbine [19] Luo Dan, et al. The design and analysis of supercritical carbon dioxide cen-
LTR low temperature recuperator trifugal turbine. Appl Therm Eng 2017;127:527e35.
MC main compressor [20] Cha JE, et al. Development of a supercritical CO2 Brayton energy conversion
system coupled with a sodium cooled fast reactor. Nucl Eng Technol
PC precooler
2009;41(8):1025e44.
RC recompressor [21] Schmitt J, et al. Study of a supercritical CO2 turbine with tit of 1350 K for
SCO2 supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle with 100 MW output: aerodynamic analysis of stage 1 vane. In:
USC ultra supercritical ASME turbo expo 2014: turbine technical conference and exposition, vol. 12;
2016. p. 1e11. 6.
[22] Bidkar RA, et al. Conceptual designs of 50MWe and 450MWe supercritical CO2
References turbomachinery trains for power generation from coal. Part 1: cycle and
turbine. In: The international symposium supercritical CO2 power cycles, San
[1] Feher EG. The supercritical thermodynamic power cycle[J]. Energy Convers Antonio, USA; 2016. p. 1e18.
1967;8(2):85e90. [23] Zhang X, et al. The engineering applications of ultra-super-critical double
[2] Angelino G. Carbon dioxide condensation cycles for power production. J Eng reheat steam turbine. In: International conference on power engineering
Gas Turbines Power 1968;90(3):287e95. (ICOPE-15) Yokohama, Japan; 2015.
[3] Feng ZP, et al. Research progress on supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle [24] Han W, et al. Aerodynamic design and performance of SCO2 high pressure
system and its power unit. Therm Turb 2016;45(2):85e94. turbines. J Harbin Inst Technol 2018;7(1):1e10.
[4] Li H, et al. PDF-based modeling on the turbulent convection heat transfer of [25] Bai W, et al. 300 MW boiler design study for coal-fired supercritical CO2,
supercritical CO2 in the printed circuit heat exchangers for the supercritical Brayton cycle. Appl Therm Eng 2018;135:66e73.
CO2 Brayton cycle. Int J Heat Mass Transf 2016;98:201e18. [26] Yang Y, et al. Coupled simulation of the combustion and fluid heating of a 300
[5] Chen Y, et al. Simulation study on supercritical carbon dioxide thermal power MW supercritical CO2, boiler. Appl Therm Eng 2017;113:259e67.
system. Therm Power Gener 2017;46(2):22e27þ41. [27] Jiang Z, et al. Principle of turbomachinery. Beijing, China: Tsinghua University
[6] Gao F, et al. Introduction of supercritical CO2 power generation technology. press; 1991. p. 150e72.
J Nav Univ Eng 2015;12(4):92e6. [28] Wang Z, et al. Principle of turbine machinery. Beijing, China: Machinery In-
[7] Zhang Y, et al. Improved design of supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle for coal- dustry Press; 1987. p. 25e170.
fired power plant. Energy 2018;155:1e14. [29] Shi Y, et al. Experimental investigation on pressure field and surface flow field
[8] Wright SA, et al. Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power generation develop- characteristics of large enthalpy drop aft-loading curved turbine cascades.
ment program and initial test results. In: ASME 2009 power Confer- J Exp Fluid Mech 2011;25(3):24e9.
ence,Albuquerque, USA; 2009. p. 573e83. [30] Liu S, et al. Numerical simulation of supercritical catalytic steam reforming of
[9] Wright SA, et al. Operation and analysis of a supercritical CO2 cycle. 2010. aviation kerosene coupling with coking and heat transfer in mini-channel. Int
p. 24e37. Sand, USA. J Therm Sci 2019;137:199e214.
[10] Thirumalai NC, et al. Mean line design of radial inflow turbine for SCO2 power [31] Luo L, et al. Multi-objective optimization of the dimple/protrusion channel
systems. In: ASME 2016 power conference, San Antonio, USA; 2016. p. 1e25. with pin fins for heat transfer enhancement. Int J Numer Methods Heat Fluid
[11] Lv G, et al. Aerodynamic design optimization of radial-inflow turbine in su- Flow 2019;29:790e813.
percritical CO2 cycles using a one-dimensional model. Energy Convers Manag [32] Han W, et al. Study on the stratified flow phenomena of the endwall boundary
2018;165:827e39. layer in Supercritical CO2 turbine cascades. Therm Power Gener 2019;2:
[12] Lee J, et al. Design methodology of supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle 16e22.