Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycles are gaining increasing attention in the engineering world, with numerous companies bringing early stage commercial products to market. Referred to as an ideal working fluid to use in power generating turbines, sCO2 offers high efficiency in a compact footprint and compatibility with many heat sources. Researchers suggest sCO2 power cycles could cut the cost of electricity by approximately 15% compared to today’s steam cycle technologies. A fluid state of carbon dioxide, sCO2 acts as a liquid and a gas simultaneously, it can dissolve material like a liquid but also flow like a gas. It is non-toxic, non-flammable and is used as an environmentally friendly solvent.
Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycles are gaining increasing attention in the engineering world, with numerous companies bringing early stage commercial products to market. Referred to as an ideal working fluid to use in power generating turbines, sCO2 offers high efficiency in a compact footprint and compatibility with many heat sources. Researchers suggest sCO2 power cycles could cut the cost of electricity by around 15% compared to today’s steam cycle technologies. A fluid state of carbon dioxide, sCO2 acts as a liquid and a gas simultaneously, it can dissolve material like a liquid but also flow like a gas. It is non-toxic, non-flammable and is used as an environmentally friendly solvent.