Operational results of a closed Brayton cycle test-loop

Steven A. Wright; Robert Fuller; Ronald J. Lipinski; Kenneth Nichols; Nicholas Brown

doi:10.1063/1.1867189

Operational results of a closed Brayton cycle test-loop

Steven A. Wright, Robert Fuller, Ronald J. Lipinski, Kenneth Nichols, Nicholas Brown

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

A number of space and terrestrial power system designs plan to use nuclear reactors that are coupled to Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) systems to generate electrical power. Because very little experience exists regarding the operational behavior of these systems, Sandia National Laboratories (through its Laboratory Directed Research and Development program) is developing a closed-loop test bed that can be used to determine the operational behavior of these systems and to validate models for these systems. Sandia has contracted Barber-Nichols Corporation to design, fabricate, and assemble a Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) system. This system was developed by modifying commercially available hardware. It uses a 30 kWe Capstone C-30 gas-turbine unit (www.capstoneturbine.com) with a modified housing that permits the attachment of an electrical heater and a water cooled chiller that are connected to the turbo-machinery in a closed loop. The test-loop reuses the Capstone turbine, compressor, and alternator. The Capstone system's nominal operating point is 1150 K turbine inlet temperature at 96,000 rpm. The annular recuperator and portions of the Capstone control system (inverter) and starter system are also reused. The rotational speed of the turbo-machinery is controlled either by adjusting the alternator load by either using the electrical grid or a separate load bank. This report describes the test-loop hardware SBL-30 (Sandia Brayton Loop-30kWe). Also presented are results of early testing and modeling of the unit. The SBL-30 hardware is currently configured with a heater that is limited to 80 kW_th with a maximum outlet temperature of ∼1000 K.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Space Technology and Applications International Forum - STAIF 2005, Including Co-located Conferences
Pages	699-710
Number of pages	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1867189
State	Published - 2005
Event	Space Technology and Applications International Forum: Forward with a New Age of Exploration, STAIF 2005 - Albuquerque, NM, United States Duration: Feb 13 2005 → Feb 17 2005

Publication series

Name	AIP Conference Proceedings
Volume	746
ISSN (Print)	0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)	1551-7616

Other

Other	Space Technology and Applications International Forum: Forward with a New Age of Exploration, STAIF 2005
Country/Territory	United States
City	Albuquerque, NM
Period	2/13/05 → 2/17/05

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Physics and Astronomy(all)

Access to Document

10.1063/1.1867189

Cite this

@inproceedings{b15946846d7e47f589cdcb019ef48ee2,

title = "Operational results of a closed Brayton cycle test-loop",

abstract = "A number of space and terrestrial power system designs plan to use nuclear reactors that are coupled to Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) systems to generate electrical power. Because very little experience exists regarding the operational behavior of these systems, Sandia National Laboratories (through its Laboratory Directed Research and Development program) is developing a closed-loop test bed that can be used to determine the operational behavior of these systems and to validate models for these systems. Sandia has contracted Barber-Nichols Corporation to design, fabricate, and assemble a Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) system. This system was developed by modifying commercially available hardware. It uses a 30 kWe Capstone C-30 gas-turbine unit (www.capstoneturbine.com) with a modified housing that permits the attachment of an electrical heater and a water cooled chiller that are connected to the turbo-machinery in a closed loop. The test-loop reuses the Capstone turbine, compressor, and alternator. The Capstone system's nominal operating point is 1150 K turbine inlet temperature at 96,000 rpm. The annular recuperator and portions of the Capstone control system (inverter) and starter system are also reused. The rotational speed of the turbo-machinery is controlled either by adjusting the alternator load by either using the electrical grid or a separate load bank. This report describes the test-loop hardware SBL-30 (Sandia Brayton Loop-30kWe). Also presented are results of early testing and modeling of the unit. The SBL-30 hardware is currently configured with a heater that is limited to 80 kWth with a maximum outlet temperature of ∼1000 K.",

author = "Wright, {Steven A.} and Robert Fuller and Lipinski, {Ronald J.} and Kenneth Nichols and Nicholas Brown",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.1063/1.1867189",

language = "English (US)",

isbn = "0735402302",

series = "AIP Conference Proceedings",

pages = "699--710",

booktitle = "Space Technology and Applications International Forum - STAIF 2005, Including Co-located Conferences",

note = "Space Technology and Applications International Forum: Forward with a New Age of Exploration, STAIF 2005 ; Conference date: 13-02-2005 Through 17-02-2005",

}

Wright, SA, Fuller, R, Lipinski, RJ, Nichols, K & Brown, N 2005, Operational results of a closed Brayton cycle test-loop. in Space Technology and Applications International Forum - STAIF 2005, Including Co-located Conferences. AIP Conference Proceedings, vol. 746, pp. 699-710, Space Technology and Applications International Forum: Forward with a New Age of Exploration, STAIF 2005, Albuquerque, NM, United States, 2/13/05. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1867189

TY - GEN

T1 - Operational results of a closed Brayton cycle test-loop

AU - Wright, Steven A.

AU - Fuller, Robert

AU - Lipinski, Ronald J.

AU - Nichols, Kenneth

AU - Brown, Nicholas

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - A number of space and terrestrial power system designs plan to use nuclear reactors that are coupled to Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) systems to generate electrical power. Because very little experience exists regarding the operational behavior of these systems, Sandia National Laboratories (through its Laboratory Directed Research and Development program) is developing a closed-loop test bed that can be used to determine the operational behavior of these systems and to validate models for these systems. Sandia has contracted Barber-Nichols Corporation to design, fabricate, and assemble a Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) system. This system was developed by modifying commercially available hardware. It uses a 30 kWe Capstone C-30 gas-turbine unit (www.capstoneturbine.com) with a modified housing that permits the attachment of an electrical heater and a water cooled chiller that are connected to the turbo-machinery in a closed loop. The test-loop reuses the Capstone turbine, compressor, and alternator. The Capstone system's nominal operating point is 1150 K turbine inlet temperature at 96,000 rpm. The annular recuperator and portions of the Capstone control system (inverter) and starter system are also reused. The rotational speed of the turbo-machinery is controlled either by adjusting the alternator load by either using the electrical grid or a separate load bank. This report describes the test-loop hardware SBL-30 (Sandia Brayton Loop-30kWe). Also presented are results of early testing and modeling of the unit. The SBL-30 hardware is currently configured with a heater that is limited to 80 kWth with a maximum outlet temperature of ∼1000 K.

AB - A number of space and terrestrial power system designs plan to use nuclear reactors that are coupled to Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) systems to generate electrical power. Because very little experience exists regarding the operational behavior of these systems, Sandia National Laboratories (through its Laboratory Directed Research and Development program) is developing a closed-loop test bed that can be used to determine the operational behavior of these systems and to validate models for these systems. Sandia has contracted Barber-Nichols Corporation to design, fabricate, and assemble a Closed-loop Brayton Cycle (CBC) system. This system was developed by modifying commercially available hardware. It uses a 30 kWe Capstone C-30 gas-turbine unit (www.capstoneturbine.com) with a modified housing that permits the attachment of an electrical heater and a water cooled chiller that are connected to the turbo-machinery in a closed loop. The test-loop reuses the Capstone turbine, compressor, and alternator. The Capstone system's nominal operating point is 1150 K turbine inlet temperature at 96,000 rpm. The annular recuperator and portions of the Capstone control system (inverter) and starter system are also reused. The rotational speed of the turbo-machinery is controlled either by adjusting the alternator load by either using the electrical grid or a separate load bank. This report describes the test-loop hardware SBL-30 (Sandia Brayton Loop-30kWe). Also presented are results of early testing and modeling of the unit. The SBL-30 hardware is currently configured with a heater that is limited to 80 kWth with a maximum outlet temperature of ∼1000 K.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78751694591&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78751694591&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/1.1867189

DO - 10.1063/1.1867189

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:78751694591

SN - 0735402302

SN - 9780735402300

T3 - AIP Conference Proceedings

SP - 699

EP - 710

BT - Space Technology and Applications International Forum - STAIF 2005, Including Co-located Conferences

T2 - Space Technology and Applications International Forum: Forward with a New Age of Exploration, STAIF 2005

Y2 - 13 February 2005 through 17 February 2005

ER -

Operational results of a closed Brayton cycle test-loop

Abstract

Publication series

Other

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this