An industry “first” has been achieved with the initial hot-fire closed loop operation of the 10 MWe Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (STEP) Demo test facility in San Antonio, Texas, which fired the 93 MW heater and ran the turbine up to 18 000 rpm for the first time.
The STEP Demo project, led by GTI Energy in collaboration with Southwest Research Institute, GE Vernova, the US Dept of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory, and several industry partners, was designed to demonstrate and validate the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton power cycle. This is a significant milestone in advancing sCO2 technology because it is the first time this type of plant has been operated at this scale anywhere in the world.
Its protagonists believe that the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) Brayton power cycle can revolutionise power generation, maximising efficiency and ensuring cleaner, flexible, and reliable power. It can operate using a wide range of low- and zero-emission heat sources – including turbine exhaust, concentrated solar, biomass firing, geothermal, and nuclear sources – and can support grid stability and resiliency with quick response to changes in power demand.
System commissioning tests for the initial 5 MWe Simple Cycle configuration will continue to progress towards full power over the next couple of months by increasing operating temperatures and ramping up turbine speed to 27 000 rpm.
“I am excited that our team is now starting to demonstrate supercritical CO2 technology that can have a positive impact on the planet by making clean energy more affordable and efficient, and decarbonising more challenging industrial applications through waste heat recovery,” said Bill Follett, STEP Demo programme director at GTI Energy.
Organisations interested in learning more about how sCO2 technology can improve high-efficiency power generation are invited to join the STEP Demo pilot project.
Image: The Supercritical Transformational Electric Power (STEP) Demo test facility in San Antonio, Texas
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