Study on the Large-Scale Water/Electricity Cogeneration System in Nuclear Power Plants

Abstract

Water/electricity cogeneration system in nuclear power plants and its peaking operation modes are analyzed in this work. The large-scale water/electricity cogeneration system can use the valley nuclear power during nighttime for seawater desalination, which can improve the peaking capacity, decrease desalination water cost and alleviate the water shortage in coastal cities. The peaking operation mode results show that the reverse osmosis desalination system runs better with variable load mode "12-1-10-1" (day 50% - night 100%) under the full load operation of nuclear reactor. In this mode, the peaking capacity of the water/electricity cogeneration system is 33%, the desalination water cost is 3.49 Yuan/m3 and the peaking cost is 65 Yuan/MWh. Development of the large-scale water/electricity cogeneration system in nuclear power plants has multiple benefits in China.