Separating Nuclear Reactors from the Power Block with Heat Storage: A New Power Plant Design Paradigm
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) conducted a workshop on Separating Nuclear Reactors from the Power Block with Heat Storage: A New Power Plant Design Paradigm. The workshop was held as three webinars (July 29, August 12 and August 26, 2020). These proceedings include this abstract, an executive summary, the main report and presentations. There are two reasons to consider a new design paradigm. First, the market is changing with (1) the addition of variable wind and solar that results in highly volatile electricity prices and (2) the goal of a low-carbon economy that requires (a) economic dispatchable electricity that is now provided by natural gas turbines in the United States and (b) heat for industry and commerce. Second, nuclear plant requirements have changed in the last 50 years suggesting that a lower-cost plant layout may be to separate the nuclear island from the power block with a clear separation of the nuclear island with nuclear requirements and the power block built to industrial standards.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Charlotte, NC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1768046
- Report Number(s):
- INL/EXT-21-61553; MIT-ANP-TR-189; TRN: US2215086
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Separating Nuclear Reactors from the Power Block with Heat Storage: A New Power Plant Design Paradigm. , Idaho Falls (held virtually), ID (United States), 29 Jul, 12, 26 Aug, 2020
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Generation and Use of Thermal Energy in the Industrial Sector and Opportunities to Reduce its Carbon Emissions
Energy Arbitrage: Comparison of Options for use with LWR Nuclear Power Plants