Application of Centrifugal Pumps in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycles

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  • 1. School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
    2. Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
    3. School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Online published: 2026-01-05

Supported by

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52006216), CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research (Grant No. YSBR-043), and the Major national science and technology infrastructure “High-Efficiency and Low-Carbon Gas Turbine Research Facility” (HiGT, Grant No. 2017-000052-73-01-001569).

Copyright

Science Press, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025

Abstract

As an emerging energy conversion technology, the supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) Brayton cycle offers advantages, including a compact structure and high efficiency. As a core component of the power cycle, the performance of pressurization equipment significantly impacts the cycle’s thermal efficiency. SCO2, as a working fluid in a state between gas and liquid phases, allows for the selection of pumps for liquid pressurization or compressors for gas pressurization. In the context of SCO2 power cycles, current domestic and international research on SCO2 pressurization primarily focuses on centrifugal compressors, with limited attention paid to the feasibility and performance of centrifugal pumps. This study compares the structural design principles of centrifugal pumps and centrifugal compressors, analyzes the challenges posed by the supercritical state of the working fluid to the selection and design of pressurization equipment, and identifies key difficulties in the design and numerical simulation of SCO2 centrifugal pumps. Additionally, the feasibility of centrifugal pumps as pressurization equipment for SCO2 power cycles is evaluated, along with the design and operational considerations that must be addressed. Future investigations into three-dimensional flow phenomena will serve as a critical reference for the design of supercritical CO2 centrifugal pumps.

Cite this article

YANG Jun, CHEN Zhijie, TIAN Yong, LIU Xiaohua . Application of Centrifugal Pumps in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycles[J]. Journal of Thermal Science, 2026 , 35(1) : 1 -14 . DOI: 10.1007/s11630-025-2218-y

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