scholarly journals Gas Turbine Power Plant Possibilities With a Nuclear Heat Source: Closed and Open Cycles

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin F. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Heat Source ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Cycle System ◽  
Nuclear Heat ◽  
High Temperature Gas

With the capability of burning a variety of fossil fuels, giving high thermal efficiency, and operating with low emissions, the gas turbine is becoming a major prime-mover for a wide spectrum of applications. Almost three decades ago two experimental projects were undertaken in which gas turbines were actually operated with heat from nuclear reactors. In retrospect, these systems were ahead of their time in terms of technology readiness, and prospects of the practical coupling of a gas turbine with a nuclear heat source towards the realization of a high efficiency, pollutant free, dry-cooled power plant has remained a long-term goal, which has been periodically studied in the last twenty years. Technology advancements in both high temperature gas-cooled reactors, and gas turbines now make the concept of a nuclear gas turbine plant realizable. Two possible plant concepts are highlighted in this paper, (1) a direct cycle system involving the integration of a closed-cycle helium gas turbine with a modular high temperature gas cooled reactor (MHTGR), and (2) the utilization of a conventional and proven combined cycle gas turbine, again with the MHTGR, but now involving the use of secondary (helium) and tertiary (air) loops. The open cycle system is more equipment intensive and places demanding requirements on the very high temperature heat exchangers, but has the merit of being able to utilize a conventional combined cycle turbo-generator set. In this paper both power plant concepts are put into perspective in terms of categorizing the most suitable applications, highlighting their major features and characteristics, and identifying the technology requirements. The author would like to dedicate this paper to the late Professor Karl Bammert who actively supported deployment of the closed-cycle gas turbine for several decades with a variety of heat sources including fossil, solar, and nuclear systems.

Modeling and Analysis of Power Conversion System for High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor With Cogeneration

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Afrazeh ◽  
Hiwa Khaledi ◽  
Mohammad Bagher Ghofrani
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Heat Source ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Nuclear Heat ◽  
Conversion System ◽  
High Temperature Gas

A gas turbine in combination with a nuclear heat source has been subject of study for some years. This paper describes the advantages of a gas turbine combined with an inherently safe and well-proven nuclear heat source. The design of the power conversion system is based on a regenerative, non-intercooled, closed, direct Brayton cycle with high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), as heat source and helium gas as the working fluid. The plant produces electricity and hot water for district heating (DH). Variation of specific heat, enthalpy and entropy of working fluid with pressure and temperature are included in this model. Advanced blade cooling technology is used in order to allow for a high turbine inlet temperature. The paper starts with an overview of the main characteristics of the nuclear heat source, Then presents a study to determine the specifications of a closed-cycle gas turbine for the HTGR installation. Attention is given to the way such a closed-cycle gas turbine can be modeled. Subsequently the sensitivity of the efficiency to several design choices is investigated. This model is developed in Fortran.

Development of Key Technologies for the Next Generation High Temperature Gas Turbine

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eisaku Ito ◽  
Ikuo Okada ◽  
Keizo Tsukagoshi ◽  
Junichiro Masada
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Reducing Power ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
National Project ◽  
Key Technologies ◽  
High Temperature Gas

Global warming is being “prevented” by reducing power plant CO2 emissions. We are contributing to the overall solution by improving the gas turbine thermal efficiency for gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC). Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) is a participant in a national project aimed at developing 1700°C gas turbine technology. As part of this national project, selected component technologies are investigated in detail. Some technologies which have been verified through component tests have been applied to the design of the newly developed 1600°C J-type gas turbine.

scholarly journals The Indirect Cycle: A Logical and Practical Nuclear Gas Turbine Power Plant Concept

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin F. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Heat Source ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
Nuclear Heat ◽  
Helium Gas ◽  
Conversion System

Many variants of the nuclear closed Brayton cycle (NCBC) power plant have been studied over the last five decades, the ultimate goal being the introduction of a high efficiency and environmentally acceptable plant for electrical power generation. With an indirect cycle (IDC) plant the thermal energy from a high temperature reactor (HTR) is transferred to the helium gas turbine power conversion system via an intermediate heat exchanger. Compared with previous direct cycle variants the decoupling of the prime-mover from the reactor has the following advantages, 1) configuration flexibility (eased congestion), 2) good component access, 3) non radioactive power conversion system, 4) ease of maintenance, 5) use of conventional equipment, 6) reduced development effort, and 7) eased adaptability to a fossil-fired source. In addition to being a more practical configuration, a major attribute for the IDC is that it is compatible with long-term plans for development of a high temperature nuclear heat source (NHS) currently underway in Japan. With a NHS in place a logical progression of the HTR would be to deploy a power generation version using an IDC helium gas turbine. This paper sheds new light on the nuclear gas turbine in that it is no longer at the forefront of gas cooled reactor application studies, but rather could be a beneficiary of work currently underway in Japan to develop a nuclear heat source for high temperature process heat. The performance and major features of a future NCBC plant concept are highlighted in this paper. Depending on the market forces prevailing in Asia for small nuclear plants, the NCBC with an indirect cycle helium gas turbine could be available for service around the year 2020.

Design and Operational Aspects of Gas and Steam Turbines for the Novel Solar Hybrid Combined Cycle SHCC®

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Heide ◽  
Uwe Gampe ◽  
Ulrich Orth ◽  
Markus Beukenberg ◽  
Bernd Gericke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Heat Input ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Test Field ◽  
Solar Heat

Solar hybrid power plants are characterized by a combination of heat input both of high temperature solar heat and heat from combustion of gaseous or liquid fuel which enables to supply the electricity market according to its requirements and to utilize the limited and high grade natural resources economically. The SHCC® power plant concept integrates the high temperature solar heat into the gas turbine process and in addition — depending on the scheme of the process cycle — downstream into the steam cycle. The feed-in of solar heat into the gas turbine is carried out between compressor outlet and combustor inlet either by direct solar thermal heating of the pressurized air inside the receivers of the solar tower or by indirectly heating via interconnection of a heat transfer fluid. Thus, high shares of solar heat input referring to the total heat input of more than 60% in design point can be achieved. Besides low consumption of fossil fuels and high efficiency, the SHCC® concept is aimed for a permanent availability of the power plant capacity due to the possible substitution of solar heat by combustion heat during periods without sufficient solar irradiation. In consequence, no additional standby capacity is necessary. SHCC® can be conducted with today’s power plant and solar technology. One of the possible variants has already been demonstrated in the test field PSA in Spain using a small capacity gas turbine with location in the head of the solar tower for direct heating of the combustion air. However, the authors present and analyze also alternative concepts for power plants of higher capacity. Of course, the gas turbine needs a design which enables the external heating of the combustion air. Today only a few types of gas turbines are available for SHCC® demonstration. But these gas turbines were not designed for solar hybrid application at all. Thus, the autors present finally some reflections on gas turbine parameters and their consequences for SHCC® as basis for evaluation of potentials of SHCC®.

Influence of Working-Fluid Characteristics on the Design of the Closed-Cycle Gas Turbine

1957 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. T. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Heat Source ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Nuclear Fission ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
The Past ◽  
High Temperature Gas ◽  
Fluid Characteristics

During the past few months there has been a renewed expression of interest in the high-temperature gas-cycle reactor coupled with a closed-cycle gas turbine in a single loop as a means of utilizing the energy available from nuclear fission. At present the procurement of two closed-cycle gas-turbine plants is planned in this country, both of which are suitable for use with a gas-cycle nuclear reactor as a heat source. These plants differ widely in output, purpose and the nature of the working fluid. One of the questions repeatedly raised during their design was the effect of the nature and characteristics of the working fluid on the design of the nonnuclear components. This pointed to the desirability of a specific study along these lines, which study was conducted by the author’s firm and is partially reported herein.

scholarly journals Powering Ahead

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (05) ◽  
pp. 30-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee S. Langston
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Electrical Power System ◽  
Efficient Technology ◽  
The Military

This article explores the increasing use of natural gas in different turbine industries and in turn creating an efficient electrical system. All indications are that the aviation market will be good for gas turbine production as airlines and the military replace old equipment and expanding economies such as China and India increase their air travel. Gas turbines now account for some 22% of the electricity produced in the United States and 46% of the electricity generated in the United Kingdom. In spite of this market share, electrical power gas turbines have kept a much lower profile than competing technologies, such as coal-fired thermal plants and nuclear power. Gas turbines are also the primary device behind the modern combined power plant, about the most fuel-efficient technology we have. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is developing a new J series gas turbine for the combined cycle power plant market that could achieve thermal efficiencies of 61%. The researchers believe that if wind turbines and gas turbines team up, they can create a cleaner, more efficient electrical power system.

An Improved Nickel Based MIMS Thermocouple for High Temperature Gas Turbine Applications

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Scervini ◽  
Catherine Rae
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Material Science ◽  
University Of Cambridge ◽  
Type K ◽  
Metallurgical Analysis ◽  
The University ◽  
High Temperature Gas

A new Nickel based thermocouple for high temperature applications in gas turbines has been devised at the Department of Material Science and Metallurgy of the University of Cambridge. This paper describes the new features of the thermocouple, the drift tests on the first prototype and compares the behaviour of the new sensor with conventional mineral insulated metal sheathed Type K thermocouples: the new thermocouple has a significant improvement in terms of drift and temperature capabilities. Metallurgical analysis has been undertaken on selected sections of the thermocouples exposed at high temperatures which rationalises the reduced drift of the new sensor. A second prototype will be tested in follow-on research, from which further improvements in drift and temperature capabilities are expected.

Performance Analysis of a Combined Cycle Power Plant Through Exergetic and Environmental Indices

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar Vicente Torres González ◽  
Raúl Lugo Leyte ◽  
Martín Salazar Pereyra ◽  
Helen Denise Lugo Méndez ◽  
Miguel Toledo Velázquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Environmental Indices ◽  
Combined Cycle Power Plant ◽  
Combustion Gases ◽  
Combined Cycle Plant ◽  
Exergetic Analysis ◽  
Gas Turbine Power Plant

In this paper is carried out a comparison between a gas turbine power plant and a combined cycle power plant through exergetic and environmental indices in order to determine performance and sustainability aspects of a gas turbine and combined cycle plant. First of all, an exergetic analysis of the gas turbine and the combined is carried out then the exergetic and environmental indices are calculated for the gas turbine (case A) and the combined cycle (case B). The exergetic indices are exergetic efficiency, waste exergy ratio, exergy destruction factor, recoverable exergy ratio, environmental effect factor and exergetic sustainability. Besides, the environmental indices are global warming, smog formation and acid rain indices. In the case A, the two gas turbines generate 278.4 MW; whereas 415.19 MW of electricity power is generated by the combined cycle (case B). The results show that exergetic sustainability index for cases A and B are 0.02888 and 0.1058 respectively. The steam turbine cycle improves the overall efficiency, as well as, the reviewed exergetic indexes. Besides, the environmental indices of the gas turbines (case A) are lower than the combined cycle environmental indices (case B), since the combustion gases are only generated in the combustion chamber.

scholarly journals The Design of Turbomachinery for the Gas Turbine (Direct Cycle) High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Power Plant

1977 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Adams ◽  
F. H. Boenig
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Reactor Power ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Primary Coolant ◽  
Reactor Power Plant ◽  
Direct Cycle ◽  
High Temperature Gas

The Gas Turbine HTGR, or “Direct Cycle” High-Temperature Gas-Cooled, Reactor power plant, uses a closed-cycle gas turbine directly in the primary coolant circuit of a helium-cooled high-temperature nuclear reactor. Previous papers have described configuration studies leading to the selection of reactor and power conversion loop layout, and the considerations affecting the design of the components of the power conversion loop. This paper discusses briefly the effects of the helium working fluid and the reactor cooling loop environment on the design requirements of the direct-cycle turbomachinery and describes the mechanical arrangement of a typical turbomachine for this application. The aerodynamic design is outlined, and the mechanical design is described in some detail, with particular emphasis on the bearings and seals for the turbomachine.

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