Thermodynamic Modeling of a Supercritical Steam Rankine Cycle for an Integrated CSP-Nuclear System

Abstract

Renewable technologies using solar input have varied electrical power production during periods of low solar irradiance caused by cloud coverage, seasonal changes, and time of day. Nuclear power plants can load follow, but due to low operating costs and high fixed costs, this capability is often not financially appealing. Implementing thermal energy storage (TES) within a synergistic solar and nuclear power cycle allows for storage during low demand periods and increased power production during high demand periods, effectively increasing dispatchability. In this paper, we examine the thermodynamic performance of an integrated system that includes concentrating solar power (CSP) and a lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR). These technologies are selected due to their similar operating temperatures, allowing for utilization of established TES technologies. Both the CSP and LFR system produce thermal power that is sent to a supercritical steam-Rankine cycle (SSRC). The SSRC model is designed to be implemented into a larger integrated energy system (IES) which contains multiple communicating models. The IES generates CSP and LFR heat profiles then utilizes the SSRC to output calculated metrics including power generation, heat rejection, and cycle efficiency.