Advanced Dry Cooler for sCO2 Power Systems

As a result of changes in regulations and permitting, the use of water for cooling in nuclear and other utility power plants is being constrained. Dry Coolers have larger footprints and costs, which burdens ratepayers, but achieves the objective of little to no water use. Due to of steam characteristics, Rankine steam cycle power plants have significant cost challenges, when converting to dry cooling. In contrast, the special characteristics of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Recompression Brayton Cycles results in smaller, lighter and less costly dry coolers. However, costs must be further reduced, to take full advantage of the advanced cycle for nuclear and other power plants.An advanced air side heat exchanger fin has been defined that increases heat transfer by 170%, and reduces size and weight by 63%. This results in a dry cooler capital cost reduction of 46%, and total cost reduction of 48%, in a modular package that minimizes site erection costs, versus conventional dry coolers. These benefits are achieved by a special enhanced heat transfer fin that also has high efficiency, versus conventional fins.Under the proposed project, the special enhanced heat transfer fin will be adapted to the supercritical carbon dioxide cooler application. Available analysis tools will be used to design a full scale cooler system, for nuclear power systems of interest. Based on the full scale design, a subscale test article will be designed, fabricated and tested, using available test support equipment. The test data and analysis will then be used to update the full scale design, and evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the cooler concept. This will prepare the concept for development and testing, under a Phase II effort, to prove system performance and economic benefits, using prototype equipment. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The market for the concept is the same as the replacement market for all steam based Rankine power plants by supercritical carbon dioxide cycles that will have over 25 percent higher efficiency, smaller footprint, and be able to use dry cooling that will save many millions of gallons of water. The cooler concept alone can save $3 billion in capital cost for all power plants, relative to conventional filtration.