This disclosure relates to the unique integration of a plurality of thermodynamic cycles comprised of a supercritical carbon dioxide thermodynamic cycle, one or more other thermodynamic cycles with multiple heat sources derived from nuclear fuel, solar energy, hydrogen, and fossil fuels, with the energy production systems configured to noticeably improve power plant efficiency, cost and performance.

In a method for operating a combustor of an embodiment, before ignition in the combustor, a mixed gas containing oxygen is circulated through the combustor as a circulating gas. Then, in an operating time from the time of ignition in the combustor to the time of a rated load of a turbine, from the time of ignition until reaching stable combustion conditions allowing stable combustion, a combustion gas in which a controller controls a flow rate of a fuel supplied from a fuel supply part and a flow rate of an oxidant supplied from an oxidant supply part to maintain the same oxygen concentration as an oxygen concentration in the mixed gas is circulated as the circulating gas.

In a method for operating a combustor of an embodiment, before ignition in the combustor, a mixed gas containing oxygen is circulated through the combustor as a circulating gas. Then, in an operating time from the time of ignition in the combustor to the time of a rated load of a turbine, from the time of ignition until reaching stable combustion conditions allowing stable combustion, a combustion gas in which a controller controls a flow rate of a fuel supplied from a fuel supply part and a flow rate of an oxidant supplied from an oxidant supply part to maintain the same oxygen concentration as an oxygen concentration in the mixed gas is circulated as the circulating gas.

A combustor structure of an embodiment is disposed to penetrate, from a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of a turbine rotor in a suprecritical CO.sub.2 gas turbine which uses supercritical CO.sub.2 for a working fluid, a casing of the suprecritical CO.sub.2 gas turbine. The combustor structure includes a plurality of combustors. Each of the combustors includes: a combustor liner in a cylindrical shape, which combusts fuel and an oxidant; a fuel supply part which is provided at an upstream end of the combustor liner and supplies the fuel into the combustor liner; and an oxidant supply part which is provided at the upstream end of the combustor liner and supplies the oxidant into the combustor liner.

A power generation system includes an inert gas power source, a thermal/electrical power converter and a power plant. The thermal/electrical power converter includes a compressor with an output coupled to an input of the inert gas power source. The power plant has an input coupled in series with an output of the thermal/electrical power converter. The thermal/electrical power converter and the power plant are configured to serially convert thermal power produced at an output of the inert gas power source into electricity. The thermal/electrical power converter includes an inert gas reservoir tank coupled to an input of the compressor via a reservoir tank control valve and to the output of the compressor via another reservoir tank control valve. The reservoir tank control valve and the another reservoir tank control valve are configured to regulate a temperature of the output of the thermal/electrical power converter.

A power generation system includes an inert gas power source, a thermal/electrical power converter and a power plant. The thermal/electrical power converter includes a compressor with an output coupled to an input of the inert gas power source. The power plant has an input coupled in series with an output of the thermal/electrical power converter. The thermal/electrical power converter and the power plant are configured to serially convert thermal power produced at an output of the inert gas power source into electricity. The thermal/electrical power converter includes an inert gas reservoir tank coupled to an input of the compressor via a reservoir tank control valve and to the output of the compressor via another reservoir tank control valve. The reservoir tank control valve and the another reservoir tank control valve are configured to regulate a temperature of the output of the thermal/electrical power converter.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods useful for power production. In particular, a power production cycle utilizing CO.sub.2 as a working fluid may be combined with a second cycle wherein a compressed CO.sub.2 stream from the power production cycle can be heated and expanded to produce additional power and to provide additional heating to the power production cycle.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods useful for power production. In particular, a power production cycle utilizing CO.sub.2 as a working fluid may be combined with a second cycle wherein a compressed CO.sub.2 stream from the power production cycle can be heated and expanded to produce additional power and to provide additional heating to the power production cycle.

A high-efficiency power generation system includes: a combustor configured to generate a circulating fluid by burning a fuel; an expander configured to generate power by expanding the circulating fluid; a power generator configured to generate electricity using the power generated by the expander; a compressor configured to compress the expanded circulating fluid; a pump configured to circulate the compressed circulating fluid; a heat exchanger configured to allow the expanded circulating fluid passing through the expander and the compressed circulating fluid passing through the compressor to exchange heat with each other; and a power transmitter including a driving shaft, and configured to rotate a driven shaft, which includes shafts of the compressor and the pump, to transmit the power generated by the expander to the compressor and the pump.

A high-efficiency power generation system includes: a combustor configured to generate a circulating fluid by burning a fuel; an expander configured to generate power by expanding the circulating fluid; a power generator configured to generate electricity using the power generated by the expander; a compressor configured to compress the expanded circulating fluid; a pump configured to circulate the compressed circulating fluid; a heat exchanger configured to allow the expanded circulating fluid passing through the expander and the compressed circulating fluid passing through the compressor to exchange heat with each other; and a power transmitter including a driving shaft, and configured to rotate a driven shaft, which includes shafts of the compressor and the pump, to transmit the power generated by the expander to the compressor and the pump.