Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.

Power and cooling systems including a drive system, a power generation unit, and a cooled fluid generation unit. A primary working fluid that is expanded within a turbine of the drive system and compressed within compressors in a closed-loop cycle. The power generation unit includes a generator and a heat source configured to heat the primary working fluid prior to injection into the turbine. T cooled fluid generation unit includes an ejector downstream of the compressors and a separator arranged downstream of the ejector and configured to separate liquid and gaseous portions of the primary working fluid. The gaseous portion is directed to the compressors and the liquid portion is directed to an evaporator heat exchanger to generate cooled fluid.

A thermodynamic apparatus (10) comprising a compressor module (100), a turbine module (200), and a regenerative heat exchanger (300) centred on a central axis (12). The compressor module (100), turbine module (200) and regenerative heat exchanger (300) are arranged in series along the central axis (12) such that the regenerative heat exchanger (300) is provided between the compressor module (100) and the turbine module (200).

Power generation systems are described. The systems include a shaft, a compressor operably coupled to a first end of the shaft, a turbine operably coupled to a second end of the shaft, a generator operably coupled to the shaft between the compressor and the turbine, and a working fluid arranged in a closed-loop flow path that flows through each of the compressor and the turbine to drive rotation of the shaft. The shaft includes an internal fluid conduit configured to receive a portion of the working fluid at one of the first end and the second end and convey the portion of the working fluid through the generator to the other of the first end and the second end, wherein the portion of the working fluid is rejoined with a primary flow path of the working fluid.

Systems and methods relating to use of external air for inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, are disclosed. A method may involve, in a closed cycle system operating in a power generation mode, circulating a working fluid may through a closed cycle fluid path. The closed cycle fluid path may include a high pressure leg and a low pressure leg. The method may further involve in response to a demand for increased power generation, compressing and dehumidifying environmental air. And the method may involve injecting the compressed and dehumidified environmental air into the low pressure leg.

Discloses is a turbine power generation system having an emergency operation means and an emergency operation method therefor that are capable of controlling excess heat accumulated during emergency operation, and recycling the accumulated heat. A turbine power generation system includes: an inlet sensor part including a thermometer, a pressure gauge, and a flowmeter that are installed between the heater and the inlet valve and; an emergency discharge part including a branch pipe connected to the steam, and a heat control means installed on the branch pipe. Accordingly, the system and the method are capable of reducing a heat overload during an emergency operation by transferring a heat amount exchanged in the heat storage device to the heat consuming facility, minimizing thermal consumption by recycling the same, and preventing various problems caused by stopping an operation of the turbine power generation system.

Systems and methods for variable pressure inventory control of a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation system or energy storage system, such as a reversible Brayton cycle system, with at least a high pressure tank and an intermediate pressure tank are disclosed. Operational parameters of the system such as working fluid pressure, turbine torque, turbine RPM, generator torque, generator RPM, and current, voltage, phase, frequency, and/or quantity of electrical power generated and/or distributed by the generator may be the basis for controlling a quantity of working fluid that circulates through a closed cycle fluid path of the system.

Power is produced by operating first and second nested cycles utilising CO.sub.2 as working fluid without mixing of working fluid between the nested cycles. The first cycle comprises a semi-open loop operating under low pressure conditions in which CO.sub.2 is sub-critical. The second cycle comprises a closed loop operating under higher pressure conditions in which CO.sub.2 is supercritical. The first cycle operates in a Brayton cycle including oxycombustion of hydrocarbons, preferably LNG, in a combustion chamber under low pressure conditions, expansion for power production to provide a first power source, cooling in a recuperator, compression, reheating by counter-current passage via the recuperator, and return of working fluid heated by the recuperator back to the combustion chamber. Water and excess CO.sub.2 resulting from the oxycombustion step are separated from the first cycle. The first cycle serves as a source of heat for the second cycle by gas/gas heat exchange in a gas/gas heat exchanger which results in cooling of the products of combustion and circulating working fluid in the first cycle and heating of working fluid in the second cycle. The second cycle is operated in a Brayton cycle including heating of working fluid in the second cycle by the gas/gas heat exchanger, expansion for power generation to provide a second power source, cooling in two-stages by first and second recuperator steps, compression, reheating by counter-current passage via the first recuperator step, and return of working fluid heated by the first recuperator step back to the gas/gas heat exchanger. Working fluid in the first cycle following the compression step is heated by working fluid in the second cycle by counter-current passage via the second recuperator step.

Systems and methods relating to variable pressure turbines are disclosed. A power generation system may include a closed cycle system configured to generate power, a combustor, and a control system. The closed cycle system may include a working fluid circulating in a closed cycle path. The combustor may provide thermal energy to the working fluid. Further, the control system may be configured to determine to increase an amount of power generated by the closed cycle system, and in response to the determination to increase the amount of power generated by the closed cycle system, cause an increase in pressure of the working fluid in the closed cycle path.

A supercritical carbon dioxide power generation Brayton cycle system and method that employs an alternate heat recuperation method and apparatus that utilizes switched banks of bead filled tanks to accumulate and recover the thermal energy of the two streams of working fluid in such a way that the variable thermal properties of the supercritical carbon dioxide can be accommodated without significant loss of thermal efficiency.