Control strategies for coupling thermal energy storage systems with small modular reactors - 188

Conference · Thu Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2017

OSTI ID:23035316

Frick, Konor; Doster, J. Michael ^[1]; Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M. ^[2]

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1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2500 Stinson Drive, 3105 Burlington Engineering Labs, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7909 (United States)
2. Nuclear Science and Technology, Idaho National Laboratory (United States)

The contribution of intermittent (renewable) energy sources such as wind and solar continues to increase as renewables improve in both efficiency and price-point. However, the variability of renewables generates additional challenges for the electric grid in the form of rapidly varying electric loads. Proposed options for accommodating this load have included operating nuclear reactors in a load follow mode, or operating the reactor at or near steady state and bypassing steam directly to the condenser. Both of these strategies result in lost energy potential. In addition to lost energy potential, load follow operation can result in increased stress on the fuel and other mechanical components. A more attractive approach is to operate the reactor at or near steady state and bypass excess steam to a thermal energy storage system. The thermal energy can then be recovered, either for electric generation during periods of peak electric demand, or for use in ancillary applications such as desalination and hydrogen production. Sensible Heat Thermal Energy Storage is a mature technology currently used in solar energy systems. This research focuses on the design and coupling of such a system to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), typical of Integral Pressurized Water Reactor (IPWR) designs currently under development. (authors)

• Research Organization: American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 23035316
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
25 ENERGY STORAGE
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BYPASSES
COMPRESSORS
DESALINATION
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR DESIGN
REACTOR OPERATION
SMALL MODULAR REACTORS
SOLAR ENERGY
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
VAPOR CONDENSERS