{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T21:27:23Z","timestamp":1768598843485,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768521600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Entropy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) power cycles offer a promising solution for offshore platforms\u2019 gas turbine waste heat recovery due to their compact design and high thermal efficiency. This study proposes a novel parallel-preheating recuperated Brayton cycle (PBC) using SC-CO2 for waste heat recovery on offshore gas turbines. An integrated energy, exergy, and economic (3E) model was developed and showed good predictive accuracy (deviations &lt; 3%). The comparative analysis indicates that the PBC significantly outperforms the simple recuperated Brayton cycle (SBC). Under 100% load conditions, the PBC achieves a net power output of 4.55 MW, while the SBC reaches 3.28 MW, representing a power output increase of approximately 27.9%. In terms of thermal efficiency, the PBC reaches 36.7%, compared to 21.5% for the SBC, marking an improvement of about 41.4%. Additionally, the electricity generation cost of the PBC is 0.391 CNY\/kWh, whereas that of the SBC is 0.43 CNY\/kWh, corresponding to a cost reduction of approximately 21.23%. Even at 30% gas turbine load, the PBC maintains high thermoelectric and exergy efficiencies of 30.54% and 35.43%, respectively, despite a 50.8% reduction in net power from full load. The results demonstrate that the integrated preheater effectively recovers residual flue gas heat, enhancing overall performance. To meet the spatial constraints of offshore platforms, we maintained a pinch-point temperature difference of approximately 20 K in both the preheater and heater by adjusting the flow split ratio. This approach ensures a compact system layout while balancing cycle thermal efficiency with economic viability. This study offers valuable insights into the PBC\u2019s variable-load performance and provides theoretical guidance for its practical optimization in engineering applications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/e28010106","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T09:28:12Z","timestamp":1768555692000},"page":"106","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A Novel Parallel-Preheating Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery from Offshore Gas Turbines: Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis Under Variable Loads"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"28","author":[{"given":"Dianli","family":"Qu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7674-176X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jia","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100191, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiang","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100191, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4928-2929","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zhan","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3657","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2015.08.017","article-title":"Energy crisis, greenhouse gas emissions and sectoral growth reforms: Repairing the fabricated mosaic","volume":"112","author":"Qureshi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2018.01.262","article-title":"Hybrid nuclear-renewable energy systems: A review","volume":"181","author":"Suman","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"168","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jandt.2024.04.003","article-title":"Conceptual design of a novel megawatt portable nuclear power system by supercritical carbon dioxide brayton cycle coupled with heat pipe cooled reactor","volume":"5","author":"Guo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int. Adv. Nucl. React. Des. Technol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105364","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pnucene.2024.105364","article-title":"Conceptual design and optimization of heat rejection system for nuclear reactor coupled with supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle used on Mars","volume":"176","author":"Qiao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Prog. Nucl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131756","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2022.131756","article-title":"Is electric battery propulsion for ships truly the lifecycle energy solution for marine environmental protection as a whole?","volume":"355","author":"Jeong","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136773","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2023.136773","article-title":"Exergy, economic, and climate performance evaluation of an efficient clean cogeneration system driven by low-temperature waste-heat","volume":"403","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123869","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2020.123869","article-title":"Life cycle assessment of a cleaner supercritical coal-fired power plant","volume":"279","author":"Rasheed","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Dostal, V., Driscoll, M.J., and Hejzlar, P. (2004). A Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Cycle for Next Generation Nuclear Reactors, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Report No.: MIT-ANP-TR-100."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biombioe.2014.07.016","article-title":"Innovative biomass to power conversion systems based on cascaded supercritical CO2 Brayton cycles","volume":"69","author":"Manente","year":"2014","journal-title":"Biomass Bioenergy"},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Wright, S., Linden, R., and Anderson, M. (2011). Advanced supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle configurations for use in concentrating solar power systems. Proceedings of the Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium, Boulder, CO, USA, 24\u201325 May 2011, The National Renewable Energy Lab."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Wright, S., Linden, R., and Anderson, M. (2011). Supercritical CO2 cycle development at pratt & whitney rocketdyne. Proceedings of the Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Symposium, Boulder, CO, USA, 24\u201325 May 2011, The National Renewable Energy Lab."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Utamura, M., Hasuike, H., Ogawa, K., Yamamoto, T., Fukushima, T., Watanabe, T., and Himeno, T. (2012, January 11\u201315). Demonstration of supercritical CO2 closed regenerative Brayton cycle in a bench scale Experiment. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2012: Turbine Technical Conference and Exposition, Copenhagen, Denmark.","DOI":"10.1115\/GT2012-68697"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"446","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2016.08.046","article-title":"On the adoption of carbon dioxide thermodynamic cycles for nuclear power conversion: A case study applied to Mochovce 3 Nuclear Power Plant","volume":"181","author":"Santini","year":"2016","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2019.02.052","article-title":"Thermoeconomic and environmental analysis and optimization of the supercritical CO2 cycle integration in a simple cycle power plant","volume":"152","author":"Villafana","year":"2019","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"120537","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2020.120537","article-title":"Advanced exergoeconomic evaluation on supercritical carbon dioxide recompression Brayton cycle","volume":"256","author":"Liu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2016.09.122","article-title":"Energy and exergy analyses of solar tower power plant driven supercritical carbon dioxide recompression cycles for six different locations","volume":"68","author":"Atif","year":"2017","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117337","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2021.117337","article-title":"Energy, exergy and exergoeconomic analysis of two supercritical CO2 cycles for waste heat recovery of gas turbine","volume":"196","author":"Sun","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129556","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2025.129556","article-title":"Waste heat recovery of a micro gas turbine: A comprehensive comparison between organic Rankine, supercritical Brayton and Kalina cycles","volume":"288","author":"Bahrami","year":"2025","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2017.04.066","article-title":"Thermodynamic Analysis and Optimization of a Gas Turbine and Cascade CO2 Combined Cycle","volume":"144","author":"Cao","year":"2017","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121716","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2021.121716","article-title":"Multi-objective robust optimization of a solar power tower plant under uncertainty","volume":"238","author":"Luo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tsep.2017.06.004","article-title":"Thermodynamic Analysis and Optimization of a Supercritical CO2 Regenerative Recompression Brayton Cycle Coupled with a Marine Gas Turbine for Shipboard Waste Heat Recovery","volume":"3","author":"Sharma","year":"2017","journal-title":"Therm. Sci. Eng. Prog."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2017.10.055","article-title":"Exergoeconomic analysis and optimization of single-pressure single-stage and multi-stage CO2 trans-critical power cycles for engine waste heat recovery: A comparative study","volume":"142","author":"Wang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Wright, S.A., Davidson, C.S., and Scammell, W.O. (2016, January 28\u201331). Thermo-Economic Analysis of Four S-CO2 Waste Heat Recovery Power Systems. Proceedings of the Fifth International S-CO2 Symposium, San Antonio, TX, USA."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"893","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2016.06.014","article-title":"Study on the Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles for Landfill Gas Firing Gas Turbine Bottoming Cycle","volume":"111","author":"Kim","year":"2016","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113670","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2020.113670","article-title":"Comparative Investigation on the Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycle for Waste Heat Recovery of Gas Turbine","volume":"228","author":"Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117013","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2021.117013","article-title":"S-CO2 Power Plants for Waste Heat Recovery: Design Optimization and Part-Load Operation Strategies","volume":"195","author":"Alfani","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Di Bella, F.A. (July, January 28). Gas Turbine Engine Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery Using Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle with Thermoelectric Generator Technology. Proceedings of the ASME 2015 9th International Conference on Energy Sustainability Collocated with the ASME 2015 Power Conference, the ASME 2015 13th International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, and the ASME 2015 Nuclear Forum, San Diego, CA, USA."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2016.02.073","article-title":"Optimum design and thermodynamic analysis of a gas turbine and ORC combined cycle with recuperators","volume":"116","author":"Cao","year":"2016","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115536","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2022.115536","article-title":"Techno-economic analysis of cascaded supercritical carbon dioxide combined cycles for exhaust heat recovery of typical gas turbines","volume":"258","author":"Cao","year":"2022","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122306","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2021.122306","article-title":"Size optimization of heat exchanger and thermoeconomic assessment for supercritical CO2 recompression Brayton cycle applied in marine","volume":"239","author":"Du","year":"2022","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2018.02.009","article-title":"Performance improvement of a preheating supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) cycle based system for engine waste heat recovery","volume":"161","author":"Song","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Song, J., Ren, X., and Gu, C. (2018, January 11\u201315). Investigation of engine waste heat recovery using supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) cycle system. Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2018: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, Oslo, Norway.","DOI":"10.1115\/GT2018-75914"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2015.12.001","article-title":"System optimisation and performance analysis of CO2 trans-critical power cycle for waste heat recovery","volume":"100","author":"Wu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117515","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2021.117515","article-title":"Optimal structure design of supercritical CO2 power cycle for gas turbine waste heat recovery: A superstructure method","volume":"198","author":"Yang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"212","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2018.07.019","article-title":"Thermo-economic analysis and multi-objective optimization of a novel waste heat recovery system with a trans-critical CO2 cycle for offshore gas turbine application","volume":"172","author":"Zhang","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"513","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2013.06.071","article-title":"Modelling and simulation of CO2 (carbon dioxide) bottoming cycles for offshore oil and gas installations at design and off-design conditions","volume":"59","author":"Walnum","year":"2013","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139450","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2025.139450","article-title":"Effect of internal losses on the thermodynamic performance of a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle system","volume":"341","author":"Lin","year":"2025","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122686","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2024.122686","article-title":"Dynamic simulation and analysis of transient characteristics of a thermal-to-electrical conversion system based on supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle in hypersonic vehicles","volume":"359","author":"Ma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"Moran, M.J., and Shapiro, H.N. (2010). Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, John Wiley & Sons."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"332","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2018.11.104","article-title":"Energetic, exergetic, economic and environmental (4E) analysis and multi-factor evaluation method of low GWP fluids in trans-critical organic Rankine cycles","volume":"168","author":"Zhang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2018.05.036","article-title":"Off-design performance comparative analysis of a transcritical CO2 power cycle using a radial turbine by different operation methods","volume":"168","author":"Du","year":"2018","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1132","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2015.06.060","article-title":"CO2 based power cycle with multi-stage compression and intercooling for low temperature waste heat recovery","volume":"90","author":"Mondal","year":"2015","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113251","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2020.113251","article-title":"Thermodynamic and exergoeconomic analysis of a novel CO2 based combined cooling, heating and power system","volume":"222","author":"Zhang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"Turton, R., Bailie, R.C., Whiting, W.B., Shaeiwitz, J.A., and Bhattacharyya, D. (2008). Analysis, Synthesis and Design of Chemical Processes, Pearson Education."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1536-7150.1987.tb01760.x","article-title":"The roles of intellectual pedigrees in economic science","volume":"46","author":"Guthrie","year":"1987","journal-title":"Am. J. Econ. Sociol."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"419","DOI":"10.1016\/0048-7333(94)00775-3","article-title":"The role of product architecture in the manufacturing firm","volume":"24","author":"Ulrich","year":"1995","journal-title":"Res. Policy"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"295","DOI":"10.1016\/j.energy.2018.11.089","article-title":"Supercritical CO2 and air Brayton-Joule versus ORC systems for heat recovery from glass furnaces: Performance and economic evaluation","volume":"168","author":"Danieli","year":"2019","journal-title":"Energy"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2016.02.112","article-title":"Exergoeconomic analysis of utilizing the transcritical CO2 cycle and the ORC for a recompression supercritical CO2 cycle waste heat recovery: A comparative study","volume":"170","author":"Wang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114395","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2021.114395","article-title":"Energy, exergy and economic analyses and performance assessment of a trigeneration system for power, freshwater and heat based on supercritical water oxidation and organic Rankine cycle","volume":"243","author":"Xi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125163","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2024.125163","article-title":"Thermodynamic and economic performance comparison between reverse Brayton cycles and cascade refrigeration cycles with eco-friendly refrigerants","volume":"261","author":"Ji","year":"2025","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123210","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2024.123210","article-title":"Energy, exergy, environmental and exergoeconomic (4E) analysis of an ultra-low temperature cascade refrigeration system with environmental-friendly refrigerants","volume":"248","author":"Ji","year":"2024","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"499","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2019.02.039","article-title":"Thermal desalination via supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle: Optimal system design and techno-economic analysis without reduction in cycle efficiency","volume":"152","author":"Sharan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"116423","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2020.116423","article-title":"Fluid selection and advanced exergy analysis of dual-loop ORC using zeotropic mixture","volume":"185","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115837","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applthermaleng.2020.115837","article-title":"Selection criteria of zeotropic mixtures for subcritical organic Rankine cycle based on thermodynamic and thermo-economic analysis","volume":"180","author":"Miao","year":"2020","journal-title":"Appl. Therm. Eng."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1309","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apenergy.2015.12.073","article-title":"Mathematical modelling and optimization of the liquid separation condenser used in organic Rankine cycle","volume":"185","author":"Luo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Appl. Energy"},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113870","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enconman.2021.113870","article-title":"Design and off-design performance comparison of supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycles for particle-based high temperature concentrating solar power plants","volume":"232","author":"Chen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Energy Convers. Manag."}],"container-title":["Entropy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1099-4300\/28\/1\/106\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T09:31:14Z","timestamp":1768555874000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1099-4300\/28\/1\/106"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]]},"references-count":56,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]}},"alternative-id":["e28010106"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/e28010106","relation":{},"ISSN":["1099-4300"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1099-4300","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]]}}}