The energy needed for phase change for supercritical CO2 is substantially lower than steam.
There’s more wiggle room. My understanding is that similar to heat pumps, they can build systems with different optimal temperatures, and even daisy chain them together. They’ll never make a perpetual motion machine, but they can waste less energy.
True, we can optimize the cycles more. Like double expansion piston engines, or that crazy proposal for a hydrid steam-mercury super high pressure power plant.
The energy needed for phase change for supercritical CO2 is substantially lower than steam.
There’s more wiggle room. My understanding is that similar to heat pumps, they can build systems with different optimal temperatures, and even daisy chain them together. They’ll never make a perpetual motion machine, but they can waste less energy.
True, we can optimize the cycles more. Like double expansion piston engines, or that crazy proposal for a hydrid steam-mercury super high pressure power plant.