Posted on November 12, 2023
Shortcomings of today’s bearing technology is proving to be a major limitation for developing next generation power cycles that use supercritical CO2 as the working fluid. Successful development of this advanced power cycle is potentially the key to unlocking widespread deployment of concentrated solar power generation, grid-scale thermal energy storage, and next generation nuclear reactors. However, the demands that this power cycle places on turbomachinery, and particularly the bearings, have proven to be highly challenging to meet. The eLev lab is collaborating with Sandia’s Brayton Lab in a preliminary study to explore how conventional generators can be modified to create controllable magnetic forces to reduce wear on foil bearings. The team aims to modify an existing turbomachine and test their concept in Sandia’s unique supercritical CO2 test facility.
