Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
$20,000.00
Advanced Study on Supercritical Fluids in Innovative Technologies Application
FY 2012-13
Summary
It is well known that the power industry is a key industry for advances in any other industries, agriculture and level of living. Main sources for electrical-energy production are: 1) thermal - coal (primary) and natural gas (secondary); 2) nuclear and 3) hydro. Therefore, it is very important to increase thermal efficiency of thermal and Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Coal-fired power plants have reached thermal efficiencies of 43-53% due to supercritical pressures and temperatures. However, modern water-cooled NPPs have thermal efficiencies within a range of 30-36%. Currently, 6 concepts of Generation IV reactors with thermal efficiencies close to those of modern thermal power plants are being developed around the world. Unfortunately, Canada has only 1 supercritical coal-fired power plant (in this case, being far behind many developed countries) and is developing only 1 concept - SuperCritical Water-cooled Reactor (SCWR). Therefore, participating in development of modern coal-fired power plants with even higher operating parameters and other Geneneration IV reactor concepts is a very important task for Canadian researchers. Analysis of these concepts showed that in general, all of them can be connected to supercritical Rankine steam cycle (the power cycle proven for more than 50 years) or supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton gas-turbine cycle through heat exchangers. Also, supercritical carbon dioxide and refrigerants can be used in advanced air-conditioning/refrigeration cycles or as modeling fluids instead of water in thermalhydraulic experiments. Objectives of the proposed research are: 1) advanced studies on supercritical fluids heat transfer and pressure drop in various flow geometries; 2) developing advanced coal-fired and NPPs supercritical cycles and heat exchangers; 3) support to SCW CANDU reactor development in Canada; 4) linking SCWRs with thermochemical cycles for co-generation of hydrogen. All these studies will bring Canada to leading positions within several major areas of science and engineering in the world. Also, a number of HQP will be prepared within these areas.
Program
Discovery Grants Program - Individual
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
342827-2012
Name nom
Pioro, Igor
Department département
Energy Systems & Nuclear Science, Faculty of
Organization id
19222
Institution établissement
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2012
Competition year année de concours
2012
Award amount
20000
Program id
RGPIN
Program name en
Discovery Grants Program - Individual
Program name fr
Programme de subventions à la découverte - individuelles
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1512
Committee name en
Mechanical Engineering
Committee name fr
Génie mécanique
Area of application code
302
Area of application group en
Energy resources
Area of application group fr
Ressources d'énergie
Area of application en
Nuclear energy
Area of application fr
Énergie nucléaire
Research subject code
2400
Research subject group en
Nuclear engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie nucléaire
Research subject en
Nuclear engineering
Research subject fr
Génie nucléaire
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Advanced Study on Supercritical Fluids in Innovative Technologies Application
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
It is well known that the power industry is a key industry for advances in any other industries, agriculture and level of living. Main sources for electrical-energy production are: 1) thermal - coal (primary) and natural gas (secondary); 2) nuclear and 3) hydro. Therefore, it is very important to increase thermal efficiency of thermal and Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Coal-fired power plants have reached thermal efficiencies of 43-53% due to supercritical pressures and temperatures. However, modern water-cooled NPPs have thermal efficiencies within a range of 30-36%. Currently, 6 concepts of Generation IV reactors with thermal efficiencies close to those of modern thermal power plants are being developed around the world. Unfortunately, Canada has only 1 supercritical coal-fired power plant (in this case, being far behind many developed countries) and is developing only 1 concept - SuperCritical Water-cooled Reactor (SCWR). Therefore, participating in development of modern coal-fired power plants with even higher operating parameters and other Geneneration IV reactor concepts is a very important task for Canadian researchers. Analysis of these concepts showed that in general, all of them can be connected to supercritical Rankine steam cycle (the power cycle proven for more than 50 years) or supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton gas-turbine cycle through heat exchangers. Also, supercritical carbon dioxide and refrigerants can be used in advanced air-conditioning/refrigeration cycles or as modeling fluids instead of water in thermalhydraulic experiments. Objectives of the proposed research are: 1) advanced studies on supercritical fluids heat transfer and pressure drop in various flow geometries; 2) developing advanced coal-fired and NPPs supercritical cycles and heat exchangers; 3) support to SCW CANDU reactor development in Canada; 4) linking SCWRs with thermochemical cycles for co-generation of hydrogen. All these studies will bring Canada to leading positions within several major areas of science and engineering in the world. Also, a number of HQP will be prepared within these areas.
