Heat Exchangers for the Next Generation of Nuclear Reactors
- Heatric Division of Meggitt (UK) Ltd., 46 Holton Road, Holton Heath, Poole, Dorset BH16 6LT (United Kingdom)
The realisation that fossil fuel resources are finite, the associated rising price and a growing concern about greenhouse gas emissions, has resulted in renewed interest in nuclear energy. Generation IV and other programmes are looking at a variety of new reactors. These reactors vary in type from Very High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors (VHTR) to Liquid Metal Fast Reactors (LFR and SFR) with cooling mediums that include: - Helium, - Supercritical carbon dioxide, - Sodium, - Lead, - Molten salts. In addition interest is not just focused on production of electrical power with an efficiency greater than that associated with the Rankine Cycle (typically 30 -35%); there is now genuine interest in nuclear energy as a heat source for hydrogen production, via the Sulphur Iodine Process (SI) or high temperature electrolysis. The production of electrical power at higher efficiency via a Brayton Cycle, and hydrogen production requires both heat at higher temperatures, up to 1000 deg C and high effectiveness heat exchange to transfer the heat to either the power or process cycle. This presents new challenges for the heat exchangers. If plant efficiencies are to be improved there is a need for: - High effectiveness heat exchange at minimal pressure drop; - Compact heat exchange to improve safety and economics; - An ability to build coded heat exchangers in a variety of nickel based alloys, oxide dispersion strengthened alloys (ODS) and ceramic materials to address the temperature, life and corrosion issues associated with these demanding duties. Heatric has already given consideration to many of these challenges. Their Print Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) and Formed Plate Heat Exchanger (FPHE) technology which are commercially available today, will fulfill all of the duties up to temperatures of 950 deg C. In addition products currently under development will further increase the temperature and pressure range, while offering greater corrosion resistance and operational life. This paper outlines the challenges for the heat exchangers and the development required, with particular attention given to material selection. It is further the objective of this study to demonstrate that heat exchangers such as PCHE and FPHE are able to meet the above challenges. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21016429
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2006 International congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'06, Reno - Nevada (United States), 4-8 Jun 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France; 8 refs; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 2006 international congress on advances in nuclear power plants - ICAPP'06, 2734 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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