NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY-EPRI Workshop on Heat Exchangers for Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles

NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY-EPRI Workshop on Heat Exchangers for Supercritical CO₂ Power Cycles

A workshop was held at the Hilton Mission Bay in San Diego, CA on October 15, 2015 to address several objectives including dissemination of technology development and materials research information, coordination of on-going efforts, and make progress toward performance and cost targets for SCO₂ heat exchangers. Approximately 70 participants met over the course of a single day in a meeting format that encouraged dialogue via multiple panel discussions. Key takeaways included: the cost of heat exchangers rises rapidly beyond 90-95% effectiveness, hence there will be an effectiveness beyond which overall system COE will go up faster than overall plant efficiency. Collaborative approaches spanning system designers, component vendors, materials researchers, and alloy vendors was suggested for optimizing overall cost and performance. Field testing of heat exchanger prototypes was identified as a need. High-temperature corrosion results for materials tested in pure SCO₂ appears no worse than steam over times less than 1,000 hrs. Emphasis for additional materials research in the areas of impurity effects, longer times resulting in failure, modest temperatures where the bulk of the system operates, manufacturing issues (bonding, thin-sections), and cycling were identified as research needs. A substantial effort of materials research is underway – mainly corrosion focused at the moment but driving toward more complex boundary conditions and mechanical effects.

Co-located with EPRI International Conference on Corrosion in Power Plants
Hilton Mission Bay - San Diego, CA USA

October 15, 2015

Welcome-Rich Dennis, National Energy Technology Laboratory

Workshop Objectives, Ground Rules, and House Keeping
Briggs White, National Energy Technology Laboratory

DOE STEP Initiative Update
Rich Dennis, National Energy Technology Laboratory

Panel Discussion: Performance and Cost Targets for sCO₂ Heat Exchangers

Brief description of system concepts
Conditions envisaged for heat exchangers & recuperators
Assumed or desired performance of heat-exchangers
Assumed or desired cost targets for heat-exchangers

Participants:

David Thimsen, Electric Power Research Institute-Moderator
Tim Held, Echogen Power Systems
David Freed, 8 Rivers Capital / Net Power
Jeff Moore, Southwest Research Institute
Mike McDowell, Gas Technology Institute

Panel Discussion: Technology Development Needs for sCO₂ Heat Exchangers

Achieving operational experience
Scaling fabrication techniques
Assessing fatigue endurance
Identifying thermal-hydraulic performance characteristics
Defining operating limits due to available materials

Participants:

Patrick Fourspring, Naval Nuclear Laboratory-Moderator
Marc Portnoff, Thar Energy
John Kelly, Altex Technology Corp.
Darryn Fleming, Sandia National Laboratory
Jim Nash, Brayton Energy
Renaud Le Pierres, Heatric
Zhijun Jia, Comprex

Panel Discussion: Alloy Manufacturer Perspective

Available and developing alloys
Product forms
What drives costs for different product forms
What the challenges are for alloy producers
What information is needed from OEMs/designers
Questions for community

Participants:

Steven Kung, Electric Power Research Institute-Moderator
Brian Baker, Special Metals
Vinay Deodeshmukh, Haynes International
John Grubb, ATI/Allegheny Ludlum
Larry Paul, VDM Metals

Laboratory Materials Research;

Participants:

Vito Cedro, National Energy Technology Laboratory-Moderator
Omer Dogan, National Energy Technology Laboratory
Bruce Pint, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Mark Anderson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Steve Kung, Electric Power Research Institute
Ian Wright, WrightHT, Inc.
Julie Tucker, Oregon State

Facilitated Discussion – Identifying Materials Needs and Coordinating Efforts

Moderators:

Briggs White, National Energy Technology Laboratory
Steve Kung, Electric Power Research Institute

Final discussion and summary of action items