Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study presents a comprehensive thermo-economic evaluation of a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system based on a supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) recompression Brayton cycle (RBC). A multiparametric analysis was conducted through systematic parameterization of key design variables, including mass fractions directed to the recompressor during charging and to the high-pressure turbine during discharging, as well as compressor inlet pressure and temperature and turbine inlet temperature. Performance optimization focused on two main indicators: round-trip efficiency (ηRT) and levelized cost of storage (LCOS), enabling identification of trade-offs between thermodynamic and economic performance. Results show that minimizing LCOS yields 148.72 $/MWh with an ηRT of 57.1%, whereas maximizing efficiency achieves 61.5% at an LCOS of 158.4 $/MWh. Exergy destruction analysis highlights the strategic role of the main compressor and thermal storage tanks in overall irreversibility distribution. These findings confirm the technical feasibility of the s-CO2 recompression Brayton cycle as a competitive solution for long-duration thermal energy storage.
Source: Energies
DOI: 10.3390/en18246594
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4417432146