Performance Assessment of Closed-Brayton-Cycle and Thermoelectric Generator Combined Power Generation System Coupled with Hydrocarbon-Fueled Scramjet

Kunlin Cheng, Wuxing Jing, Jiahui Li and Jiang Qin ()
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Kunlin Cheng: Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Wuxing Jing: Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Jiahui Li: Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Jiang Qin: Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: Closed-Brayton-cycle (CBC) is a potential scheme to provide high-power electricity for hypersonic vehicles, but finite cold source onboard limits its power level. A thermoelectric generator (TEG) combined with CBC is a feasible power enhancement approach by extending the available temperature range of cold source. In this study, a performance assessment of the CBC-TEG combined power generation system coupled with hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet is performed to exhibit its possible operation characteristics and performance limitations on hypersonic vehicles. Results indicate that, at a fixed flight Mach number, a larger fuel equivalence ratio ( φ ) leads to a higher total electric power and CBC power but a lower TEG power. There are three limitations on the fuel equivalence ratio, TEG temperature difference, and combustion heat dissipation adjustment for the operation of CBC-TEG. The total power of CBC-TEG can be adjusted by φ , but the adjustable range becomes smaller at higher Ma. The electric quantity at unit fuel mass increases with φ , mainly due to the higher thermoelectric conversion efficiency. Moreover, the maximum value of the electric quantity at unit fuel mass for CBC-TEG reaches 277.0 kJ/kg, which is about 33.4% higher than that of standalone CBC.

Keywords: closed-Brayton-cycle; thermoelectric generator; hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet; hypersonic vehicle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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