Regenerative Brayton Cycle

This is a simple Brayton cycle supplemented by a recuperative heat exchanger, as shown in the figure below. After it is compressed, in the compressor, CO2 flows through a recuperative heat exchanger, where it undergoes its first heating. It is subsequently further heated by the heat source and fed to the turbine where it expands and performs work. After that, it passes through the low-pressure side of the recuperative heat exchanger and then through the cooler, where it is cooled to its lowest working temperature. Finally, it is fed back to the compressor suction. The addition of heat recovery leads to a significant increase in efficiency. This makes this configuration feasible for traditional power generation systems. Nevertheless, the more advanced cycle layouts that follow offer even higher levels of thermodynamic efficiency.