Heat pump augmentation of nuclear process heat

Patent · Tue Mar 18 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5708192

Koutz, S L

A system is described for increasing the temperature of a working fluid heated by a nuclear reactor. The system consists of: a high temperature gas cooled nuclear reactor having a core and a primary cooling loop through which a coolant is circulated so as to undergo an increase in temperature, a closed secondary loop having a working fluid therein, the cooling and secondary loops having cooperative association with an intermediate heat exchanger adapted to effect transfer of heat from the coolant to the working fluid as the working fluid passes through the intermediate heat exchanger, a heat pump connected in the secondary loop and including a turbine and a compressor through which the working fluid passes so that the working fluid undergoes an increase in temperature as it passes through the compressor, a process loop including a process chamber adapted to receive a process fluid therein, the process chamber being connected in circuit with the secondary loop so as to receive the working fluid from the compressor and transfer heat from the working fluid to the process fluid, a heat exchanger for heating the working fluid connected to the process loop for receiving heat therefrom and for transferring heat to the secondary loop prior to the working fluid passing through the compressor, the secondary loop being operative to pass the working fluid from the process chamber to the turbine so as to effect driving relation thereof, a steam generator operatively associated with the secondary loop so as to receive the working fluid from the turbine, and a steam loop having a feedwater supply and connected in circuit with the steam generator so that feedwater passing through the steam loop is heated by the steam generator, the steam loop being connected in circuit with the process chamber and adapted to pass steam to the process chamber with the process fluid.

• Assignee: GA Tech., Inc., San Diego, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4576783
• OSTI ID: 5708192
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210300 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
210900* -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Process Heat Reactors-- (-1987)
AUGMENTATION
BOILERS
COMPRESSORS
COOLANTS
COOLING SYSTEMS
ENERGY
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FEEDWATER
FLUIDS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HEAT
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT PUMPS
HEAT TRANSFER
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MACHINERY
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
PROCESS HEAT
PROCESS HEAT REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTOR CORES
REACTORS
SECONDARY COOLANT CIRCUITS
STEAM GENERATORS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
VAPOR GENERATORS
WATER
WORKING FLUIDS