The　printed　circuit　heat　exchanger　(PCHE)　is　one　of　the　leading　heat　exchanger　candidates　in　the　supercritical　carbon　dioxide　Brayton　cycle,　which　has　high　efficiency　and　compactness.　In　the　present　paper,　a　novel　type　of　PCHE　with　airfoil　fins　was　proposed　and　tested.　The　effect　of　the　thermal　resistance　variation　on　the　heat　transfer　performance　near　the　pseudo-critical　point　was　analyzed.　Meanwhile,　a　non-dimensional　factor　defined　as　the　ratio　of　bulk　temperature　to　the　pseudo-critical　temperature　was　applied　to　evaluate　the　heat　transfer　performance.　The　results　indicate　that　the　variation　of　the　heat　transfer　performance　can　be　attributed　to　the　different　average　thermal-resistance　ratios,　where　a　larger　the　average　thermal-resistance　ratio　corresponds　to　a　better　heat　transfer　performance.　When　the　non-dimensional　factor　is　around　1.03,　the　heat　exchanger　exhibits　the　highest　heat　transfer　performance.　In　this　regard,　a　working　condition　analysis　method　based　on　the　non-dimensional　factor　and　the　average　thermal-resistance　ratio　is　suggested.　Finally,　a　modified　heat　transfer　correlation　considering　the　non-dimensional　working　parameters　near　the　pseudo-critical　point　is　obtained.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd