Power Conversion Systems for Concentrating Solar Thermal and Waste Heat Recovery Applications at High Temperatures

Dear Colleagues,

The field of thermal power generation at very high temperatures has suddenly become very important and exciting, due to the number of applications demanding solutions for efficient power conversion at temperatures well above 600 ºC. Up until a few years ago, thermal power generation research was mostly limited to achieving marginal improvements using Organic Rankine Cycles for low-temperature applications, steam Rankine cycles for coal-fired power generation, and open Brayton cycles for gas turbines. Suddenly, new horizons have opened and new research goals are being set. In addition to primary power generation, it is also argued that high-temperature power generation technologies coupled with high temperature thermal storage can be viable alternatives to electrical batteries for utility-scale systems to store excess electricity coming from any source. A new cycle, the supercritical CO₂ cycle, has been put forward and is potentially applicable over applications ranging from carbon-captured coal-fired power to gas-cooled nuclear reactors, concentrating solar thermal power, and as a replacement for steam in combined cycle gas turbine applications. Projects are underway to improve steam power cycles. The common motivation in all these areas is the aspiration to convert heat to electricity at ever higher temperatures and consequently at higher efficiencies.  

The quest for high-temperature thermal power generation has driven research and development in a number of areas including thermodynamics, materials for high temperature heat exchangers and expanders, high-temperature heat storage, and power blocks that convert high-temperature heat to electricity in an effective and reliable way.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to present the current level of development and future challenges in this area, specifically in very-high temperature (VHT) power generation. This Special Issue focuses on but is not limited to:

• The thermodynamics of VHT power generation including supercritical CO₂ cycles and other opportunities;
• VHT thermal storage—material issues and other challenges;
• New expanders, compressors, and heat exchange equipment for VHT power cycles;
• Advances in VHT concentrating solar thermal power generation;
• Advances in new VHT carbon-captured coal-fired power generation such as the Allam cycle;
• Advances in component technologies for VHT power generation using supercritical CO₂ cycles;
• Socio-economic studies about how the power generation markets may be reshaped if we can achieve VHT power generation over the next decade.

Prof. Hal Gurgenci
Guest Editor

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• supercritical CO₂ cycles
• concentrating solar thermal power generation
• Allam cycle
• high-temperature thermal storage