Performance Analysis of Solar Thermal-Driven Supercritical CO₂ Power Generation Systems Under Various Operating Conditions

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), as an emerging clean energy generation technology, provides reliable support for modern power systems with its high operational flexibility. The supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf>) Brayton cycle, another innovative technology, offers distinct advantages including readily achievable critical parameters, compact size, lightweight design, and superior cycle efficiency. However, CSP technology remains in the technical optimization phase. Current research faces several challenges: the lack of appropriate system models for CSP plants, insufficient reliability analysis of CSP stations, and inadequate data regarding the impact of CSP grid integration on power system protection schemes. To address these research gaps, this study develops a comprehensive CSP-SCO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> power plant simulation model using MATLAB/Simulink. Through comparative experimental analysis, we quantitatively evaluate the enhancement in power generation system reliability achieved through implementation of the SCO<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> Brayton cycle.