Session: Poster Session

Paper Number: 162412

Numerical and Cfd Analysis on Innovative Hybrid Seal Designs for Optimized Performance in Supercritical Co₂ Turbomachinery 

Demand for supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) turbomachinery is increasing at a very rapid pace, primarily due to its potential to revolutionize power generation systems. As sCO₂ turbines replace conventional steam turbines, there is a significant requirement for the development of sealing technology that will promote the best performance, efficiency, and reliability of the system.

This study is the work necessary to conduct numerical studies on hybrid seals for operating and enabling performance improvement in sCO₂ turbomachinery. Hybrid seals blend the strength offered by labyrinth seals along with the innovative properties of honeycomb structures. This dual-functioning effort of assembling labyrinth seals for durability along with honeycomb designs for turbulence mitigation would minimize the leakages, thus ensuring long-time utility. The study looks into several honeycomb silhouettes in various aspects, ranging from stable and uniform to more complicated non-uniform designs for the most effective arrangement, in addition, it also examines labyrinth seal placement relative to the honeycomb for better sealing efficiency.
This research intends to cover the aspects of seal design and development most pertinent to high-pressure sCO₂ turbomachinery. This study proposes computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations focused on flow behavior optimization to minimize leakage and enhance seal performance in the extreme conditions of high pressure and temperature typical of sCO₂ environments along with experimental verifications. It also provides good prospects for developing advanced seals and boosts the sCO₂ technology penetration among next-generation power systems toward cleaner and more efficient energy solutions.

Presenting Author: Ghanshyam Sarobar Mandal UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

Presenting Author Biography: Ph.D. Student (Aerospace Engineering), Research on sCO₂ Turbomachinery

Authors:

Ghanshyam Sarobar Mandal UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Al-Muthanna Al-Ani University of Central Florida
Marcel Otto University of Central Florida
Erik Fernandez University of Central Florida
Jayanta Kapat University of Central Florida