Abstract
Future development of the energy conversion systems will be based on second and third generation technology. Additionally, modern power plants are expected to be able to work in a very wide range of power output. At the same time, frequent and rapid changes in generated power reduce systems lifetime, their average efficiency, and in the case of nuclear energy, introduce additional issues related to nuclear safety. The hybrid energy systems can give at least a partial solution to such challenges. In the present work, a thermodynamic analysis of a hybrid system consisting of a nuclear block powered by Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and a gas-steam block Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (GTCC) was performed. The coupling was made by means of a compressor in a gas block powered by an electric motor and using steam from a nuclear block in the Gas Turbine Combined Cycle steam power plant block. Some promising and challenging results are shown and discussed.
Highlights
Energy consumption is the primary indicator showing the development of the country
The growing demand for electrical energy and rapid development of power technology as well as materials science allow to design and implement modern solutions for nuclear energy, energy security and energy conversion system in order to provide a lower cost of energy
In parallel to that frequent, deep and rapid changes in generated power reduce systems lifetime, their average efficiency, and in the case of nuclear energy, introduce additional issues related to nuclear safety
Summary
Energy consumption is the primary indicator showing the development of the country. The growing demand for electrical energy and rapid development of power technology as well as materials science allow to design and implement modern solutions for nuclear energy, energy security and energy conversion system in order to provide a lower cost of energy. The value n = 0.67 fits to the results of a much more detailed analysis presented in [1] that shows n = 0.62 Within this simple model, it is possible to compare the cost of a cluster of k SMRs and the cost of the equivalent large reactor. Comparing two reactor systems: single large reactor 1340 MW and the cluster of four reactors, each 335 MW (4*335=1340, as in [1]) one realizes that SMR cluster can passively evacuate through the reactors vessel surface ~1.58 more decay heat than a single, large power reactor This estimation gives an overall view of the scale effect, and for further analysis, the more realistic models, such as in ref. The second constraint is crucial for systems lifetime, thermodynamic efficiency and nuclear reactor safety
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