Design Configurations for Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Designed to Generate Electricity and Hydrogen

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang H. Oh ◽  
Cliff Davis ◽  
Robert Barner ◽  
Steven Sherman
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Design And Technology ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Working Fluids ◽  
Conversion System ◽  
Hydrogen Plant ◽  
Liquid Salts ◽  
High Temperature Gas

The High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor is being envisioned that will generate not just electricity, but also hydrogen to charge up fuel cells for cars, trucks and other mobile energy uses. INL engineers studied various heat-transfer working fluids—including helium and liquid salts—in seven different configurations. In computer simulations, serial configurations diverted some energy from the heated fluid flowing to the electric plant and hydrogen production plant. In anticipation of the design, development and procurement of an advanced power conversion system for HTGR, this study was initiated to identify the major design and technology options and their tradeoffs in the evaluation of power conversion system (PCS) coupled to hydrogen plant. In this study, we investigated a number of design configurations and performed thermal hydraulic analyses using various working fluids and various conditions (Oh, 2005). This paper includes a portion of thermal hydraulic results based on a direct cycle and a parallel intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) configuration option.

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.

scholarly journals Design Option of Heat Exchanger for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang H. Oh ◽  
Eung S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
System Integration ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Nuclear Plant ◽  
Design And Technology ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Tube Heat Exchanger ◽  
Intermediate Heat Exchanger ◽  
Hydrogen Plant

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), a very High temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (VHTR) concept, will provide the first demonstration of a closed-loop Brayton cycle at a commercial scale, producing a few hundred megawatts of power in the form of electricity and hydrogen. The power conversion unit (PCU) for the NGNP will take advantage of the significantly higher reactor outlet temperatures of the VHTRs to provide higher efficiencies than can be achieved with the current generation of light water reactors. Besides demonstrating a system design that can be used directly for subsequent commercial deployment, the NGNP will demonstrate key technology elements that can be used in subsequent advanced power conversion systems for other Generation IV reactors. In anticipation of the design, development and procurement of an advanced power conversion system for the NGNP, the system integration of the NGNP and hydrogen plant was initiated to identify the important design and technology options that must be considered in evaluating the performance of the proposed NGNP. As part of the system integration of the VHTRs and the hydrogen production plant, the intermediate heat exchanger is used to transfer the process heat from VHTRs to the hydrogen plant. Therefore, the design and configuration of the intermediate heat exchanger is very important. This paper will include analysis of one stage versus two stage heat exchanger design configurations and simple stress analyses of a printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE), helical coil heat exchanger, and shell/tube heat exchanger.

scholarly journals Design Option of Heat Exchanger for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant

2009 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang H. Oh ◽  
Eung S. Kim ◽  
Mike Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Heat Exchanger ◽  
System Integration ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Nuclear Plant ◽  
Design And Technology ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Tube Heat Exchanger ◽  
Intermediate Heat Exchanger ◽  
Hydrogen Plant

The next generation nuclear plant (NGNP), a very high temperature gas-cooled reactor (VHTR) concept, will provide the first demonstration of a closed-loop Brayton cycle at a commercial scale, producing a few hundred megawatts of power in the form of electricity and hydrogen. The power conversion unit for the NGNP will take advantage of the significantly higher reactor outlet temperatures of the VHTRs to provide higher efficiencies than can be achieved with the current generation of light water reactors. Besides demonstrating a system design that can be used directly for subsequent commercial deployment, the NGNP will demonstrate key technology elements that can be used in subsequent advanced power conversion systems for other Generation IV reactors. In anticipation of the design, development, and procurement of an advanced power conversion system for the NGNP, the system integration of the NGNP and hydrogen plant was initiated to identify the important design and technology options that must be considered in evaluating the performance of the proposed NGNP. As part of the system integration of the VHTRs and the hydrogen production plant, the intermediate heat exchanger is used to transfer the process heat from VHTRs to the hydrogen plant. Therefore, the design and configuration of the intermediate heat exchanger are very important. This paper describes analyses of one stage versus two-stage heat exchanger design configurations and simple stress analyses of a printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE), helical-coil heat exchanger, and shell-and-tube heat exchanger.

Stress Analyses of Intermediate Heat Transfer Loop

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang H. Oh ◽  
Eung Soo Kim ◽  
Steven Sherman
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Heat Transport ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Working Fluids ◽  
Conversion Unit ◽  
Electrical Generation

The Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory are developing a Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) to serve as a demonstration of state-of-the-art nuclear technology. The purpose of the demonstration is two fold 1) efficient low cost energy generation and 2) hydrogen production. Although a next generation plant could be developed as a single-purpose facility dedicated to hydrogen production, early designs are expected to be dual purpose. While hydrogen production and advanced energy cycles are still in its early stages of development, research towards coupling a high temperature reactor with electrical generation and hydrogen production is under way. Many aspects of the NGNP must be researched and developed in order to make recommendations on the final design of the plant. Parameters such as working conditions, cycle components, working fluids, and power conversion unit configurations must be understood. A number of configurations of the power conversion unit were demonstrated in this study. An intermediate heat transport loop for transporting process heat to a High Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE) hydrogen production plant was used. Helium, CO2, and a 80% nitrogen, 20% helium mixture (by weight) were studied to determine the best working fluid in terms cycle efficiency and development cost. In each of these configurations the relative component sizes were estimated for the different working fluids. Parametric studies were carried out on reactor outlet temperature, mass flow, pressure, and turbine cooling. Recommendations on the optimal working fluid for each configuration were made. Engineering analyses were performed for several configurations of the intermediate heat transport loop that transfers heat from the nuclear reactor to the hydrogen production plant. The analyses evaluated parallel and concentric piping arrangements and two different working fluids, including helium and a liquid salt. The thermal-hydraulic analyses determined the size and insulation requirements for the hot and cold leg pipes in the different configurations. Mechanical analyses were performed to determine hoop stresses and thermal expansion characteristics for the different configurations.

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.

A Techno-Economic Optimization of the Power Conversion System of a Very High Temperature Reactor

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Mansilla ◽  
Michel Dumas ◽  
Franc¸ois Werkoff
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Minimum Cost ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Economic Optimization ◽  
Very High Temperature Reactor ◽  
Conversion System ◽  
High Temperature Reactor ◽  
Very High

Generation IV nuclear reactors will not be implemented unless they enable lower production costs than with the current systems. In such a context a techno-economic optimization method was developed and then applied to the power conversion system of a very high temperature reactor. Techno-economic optimization consists in minimizing an objective function that depends on technical variables and economic ones. The advantage of the techno-economic optimization is that it can take into account both investment costs and operating costs. A techno-economic model was implemented in a specific optimization software named Vizir, which is based on genetic algorithms. The calculation of the thermodynamic cycle is performed by a software named Tugaz. The results are the values of the decision variables that lead to a minimum cost, according to the model. The total production cost is evaluated. The influence of the various variables and constraints is also pointed out.

scholarly journals Basic Policy of Maintenance for the Power Conversion System of the Gas Turbine High Temperature Reactor 300 (GTHTR300)

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-331
Author(s):  
Shinichi KOSUGIYAMA ◽  
Takakazu TAKIZUKA ◽  
Kazuhiko KUNITOMI ◽  
Xing YAN ◽  
Shoji KATANISHI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Conversion System ◽  
High Temperature Reactor

scholarly journals Design Study of Power Conversion System for the Gas Turbine High Temperature Reactor (GTHTR300)

2002 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoji TAKADA ◽  
Takakazu TAKIZUKA ◽  
Kazuhiko KUNITOMI ◽  
Xing YAN ◽  
Shoji KATANISHI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Design Study ◽  
Conversion System ◽  
High Temperature Reactor
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