Experiments and Numerical Simulations for Heat Transfer and Flow of Supercritical Fluids

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 1756

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
Interests: supercritical fluids; numerical simulation method; flow and heat transfer; system; PCHE; natural gas liquefaction and gasification

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Guest Editor
School of Energy Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Interests: phase changing; bubble dynamics; CHF; marangoni effect; natural convection

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Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Interests: fluid mechanics; multiphase flow; phase change heat transfer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the continuous development of the industrial and energy field, the pursuit of higher efficiency, brought about by higher temperatures and higher pressures, is improving. Therefore, the supercritical fluids have become a research focus, of which flow and heat transfer characteristics are some of the most important research directions. For example, supercritical water cycle thermal power plants, supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle power generation systems, natural gas liquefaction and gasification processes, and many other fields are related to the supercritical fluid flow and heat transfer processes. However, the research on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of supercritical fluid in various fields is not yet sufficient. With the development of advanced experimental technology and the improvement of computing power, the research of supercritical fluids has ushered in a new direction of development. At present, it is urgent to carry out research on supercritical fluid flow and heat transfer through advanced technologies, innovative numerical methods, and new theories, contributing to the development and progress of the global industrial system. 

This Special Issue on "Experiments and Numerical Simulations for Heat Transfer and Flow of Supercritical Fluids" seeks high quality works focusing on new research with supercritical fluids. This Special Issue will focus on the new experimental results and numerical simulation methods of supercritical fluids, the interpretation of new phenomena and theories of supercritical fluids, the construction and optimization of the recycling system of supercritical fluids, and the research and breakthrough of equipments. The purpose is to promote communication regarding and the progress of supercritical fluids. 

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Advanced supercritical fluids testing technology.
  • Numerical simulation method for supercritical fluids.
  • New characteristics and phenomena of supercritical fluid flow and heat transfer.
  • Supercritical fluids system.
  • Research and optimization of equipment for supercritical fluids. 

I hope you consider participating in this Special Issue.

Dr. Qian Li
Dr. Jue Wang
Dr. Wenke Zheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • supercritical fluids
  • testing technology
  • numerical simulation method
  • flow and heat transfer
  • system
  • equipment
  • CO2 brayton cycle
  • natural gas liquefaction and gasification

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 3521 KiB  
Article
The Dynamic Response Characteristics and Working Fluid Property Differences Analysis of CO2–Kr Mixture Power Cycle System
by Minghui Fang, Lihua Cao, Xueyan Xu and Qingqiang Meng
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1735; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061735 - 1 Jun 2025
Viewed by 309
Abstract
With the advancement of the energy transition, the thermodynamic degradation under high-load conditions and economic bottlenecks of the sCO2 Brayton cycle have become more prominent. CO2 mixture working fluids can improve system efficiency and economics through property optimization. However, the dynamic [...] Read more.
With the advancement of the energy transition, the thermodynamic degradation under high-load conditions and economic bottlenecks of the sCO2 Brayton cycle have become more prominent. CO2 mixture working fluids can improve system efficiency and economics through property optimization. However, the dynamic response characteristics of the system under disturbance factors are still unclear. Based on this, this paper establishes a dynamic model of the recompressed Brayton cycle for CO2 and CO2–Kr mixture. The dynamic behaviors of the two working fluids under mass flow, heat source power, and rotational speed disturbances are systematically compared, revealing the impact of the addition of Kr on the system’s dynamic response characteristics. From the perspective of the coupling mechanism in a mixture of working fluids, this paper further explores the reasons behind the differences in dynamic performance. The results show that mass disturbances have the most significant impact on the dynamic characteristics of the system. The response time of the turbine outlet temperature in the pure CO2 system is 15.43 s, with a temperature response amplitude of 12.32 K. When the system recovers to a steady state, the system’s efficiency and specific work are 30.37% and 42.52 kW/kg, respectively. In comparison, the CO2–Kr system demonstrates better dynamic performance, with the turbine outlet temperature response time reduced by 3.5 s and the temperature fluctuation amplitude decreased by 6.25 K. Additionally, the efficiency and specific work of the CO2–Kr system increased by 5.77% and 7.29 kW/kg, respectively. The introduction of Kr changes the physical property parameters of the working fluid, enhancing flow stability, and reducing pressure and temperature fluctuations, thereby improving the dynamic performance and disturbance resistance of the CO2–Kr system. Full article
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16 pages, 6269 KiB  
Article
Performance and Reliability Analysis of a New Drone Bottle Valve
by Lei Wang, Lu Gan, Lijun Wang, Congcong Xu, Yixiang Chen, Guanzhu Ren and Weihua Cai
Processes 2025, 13(4), 1128; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13041128 - 9 Apr 2025
Viewed by 394
Abstract
As the global demand for sustainable energy grows, hydrogen fuel has become a promising alternative to fossil fuels, particularly in the drone industry. Drones, known for their high mobility and low operational costs, are increasingly utilized in sectors like defense, agriculture, and logistics. [...] Read more.
As the global demand for sustainable energy grows, hydrogen fuel has become a promising alternative to fossil fuels, particularly in the drone industry. Drones, known for their high mobility and low operational costs, are increasingly utilized in sectors like defense, agriculture, and logistics. However, traditional battery-powered drones are limited by flight duration and recharging times. Hydrogen fuel cells present a viable solution, with effective hydrogen pressure regulation being the key to ensuring their stable operation. This paper presents an innovative valve design for drones, developed to regulate the pressure reduction of high-pressure hydrogen gas from the storage tank to the fuel cell system. The valve incorporates a multi-stage pressure reduction mechanism, optimized to minimize the adverse effects of gas flow. Using a combination of experimental tests and numerical simulations, the study examines hydrogen flow characteristics at various valve openings, focusing on pressure, velocity distribution, and energy consumption. The results demonstrate that narrowing the valve opening improves pressure reduction, effectively controlling hydrogen flow and stabilizing pressure, thereby ensuring proper fuel cell operation. Further analysis reveals that smaller valve openings help reduce turbulence and energy loss, improving flow stability and system efficiency. This research provides valuable insights into hydrogen pressure regulation in drone fuel delivery systems, especially under extreme conditions such as high pressures and large pressure ratios. The findings offer both theoretical and practical guidance for optimizing hydrogen fuel delivery systems in fuel cell-powered drones, contributing to improve energy management and enhance performance in future drone applications. Full article
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19 pages, 4454 KiB  
Article
Combined Cycle Gas Turbine System with Molten Salt Energy Storage: Peak Regulation and Flexibility
by Lihua Cao, Jingwen Yu, Lei Wang and Xin Xu
Processes 2025, 13(3), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030604 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 808
Abstract
With the increase in the amount of new energy in new power systems, the response speed of power demand changes in combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) is facing new challenges. This paper studies an integrated operation strategy for the coupled molten salt energy [...] Read more.
With the increase in the amount of new energy in new power systems, the response speed of power demand changes in combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) is facing new challenges. This paper studies an integrated operation strategy for the coupled molten salt energy storage of CCGT systems, and analyzes the system through simulation calculation. The advantages of the coupled system are determined by comparing the electrical output regulation capability, thermoelectric ratio, gas consumption rate, and peaking capacity ratio. In addition, using stored energy to maintain the temperature of the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) can shorten the system’s restart time, improve the unit’s operating efficiency, and reduce the start-up cost. Our findings can be used as a reference for accelerating the performance improvement of CCGT systems, which is also crucial in technologies for waste heat recovery, molten salt energy storage technology, and promoting the sustainable development of energy systems. Full article
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