A　hybrid　cascade　carbon　dioxide　cycle　(HCCC)　is　proposed　to　recover　the　waste　heat　in　this　paper.　In　the　HCCC,　the　top　cycle　uses　the　energy　of　the　high-temperature　flue　gas　and　part　of　the　low-temperature　flue　gas,　and　the　bottom　cycle　utilizes　the　energy　of　middle-temperature　flue　gas　and　the　other　part　of　low-temperature　flue　gas.　Compared　with　the　traditional　series　cascade　carbon　dioxide　cycle　(SCCC),　the　HCCC　can　achieve　lower　flue　gas　outlet　temperature,　lower　exergy　destruction　of　heat　regeneration　process,　higher　bottom　cycle　output　power　and　higher　system　output　power.　Under　the　design　condition,　the　output　power　of　the　HCCC　is　17.02%　higher　than　the　SCCC.　The　heat　transfer　performances　of　the　recuperators　are　analyzed　in　detail　to　clarify　the　superiority　of　the　proposed　HCCC.　The　results　of　parametric　analysis　show　the　optimal　split　parameters　exist　to　achieve　best　system　performance.　The　pinch　point　temperature　differences　have　great　impacts　on　the　thermal　performance　and　system　compactness.　The　multi-objective　optimization　is　performed　and　the　information　of　some　important　points　are　given.　The　specific　heat　conductance　of　HCCC　is　7%∼11%　lower　than　the　SCCC　for　the　same　power　output.　Therefore,　the　thermal　performance　and　system　compactness　of　the　proposed　HCCC　are　better　than　the　SCCC.　The　system　performance　under　different　waste　heat　sources　is　also　discussed　from　the　perspective　of　engineering　application.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd