1170-MW(t) HTGR-SC/C application study report: direct steam retorting of oil shale

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5657799· OSTI ID:5657799

Rao, R.

This report describes the application of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) that operates in a steam cycle/cogeneration (SC/C) mode to supply process heat, process steam, and electricity for the recovery of oil from shale using a direct steam retorting process. The economic merits of integrating an 1170-MW(t) HTGR-SC/C plant with the direct steam retorting process are assessed, along with those of an indirect gas retorting process assisted by an HTGR-SC/C plant and the standard product oil/gas-fired heat source. The energy requirements for a large commercial direct steam retorting process producing 8590 m/sup 3//D (54,030 B/D) of hydrogenated oil were developed for a bench scale test. The assumed plant location for this present study is northwestern Colorado. Ten modular retorts provide 2.68 x 10/sup 6/ kg/h (70,000 T/D) of retorting capacity and yield a net of 8590 m/sup 3//D (54,030 B/D) of hydrogenated shale oil. All mining, process, and support facilities necessary for retorting oil shale are included. A heat balance/steam cycle diagram is included showing the integration of an 1170-MW(t) HTGR-SC/C plant with the process and the cogeneration of 257 MW(e) electric power. A preliminary cost estimate of a commercial direct steam retorting plant shows a price of $41.08 (1983 $, 30-y levelized) per barrel of upgraded shale oil for a 2005 plant startup of an 1170-MW(t) HTGR-SC/C plant.

• Research Organization: GA Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-76SF70046
• OSTI ID: 5657799
• Report Number(s): GA-A-17112; ON: DE84000299
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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210900* -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Process Heat Reactors-- (-1987)
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COGENERATION
COST
DECOMPOSITION
DEUS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRICITY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POWER GENERATION
PROCESS HEAT REACTORS
REACTORS
RETORTING
SHALE OIL
STEAM
STEAM GENERATION
USES