Engineering Analysis of Intermediate Loop and Process Heat Exchanger Requirements to Include Configuration Analysis and Materials Needs

Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/911251· OSTI ID:911251

Lillo, T M; Williamson, R L; Reed, T R; Davis, C B; Ginosar, D M

The need to locate advanced hydrogen production facilities a finite distance away from a nuclear power source necessitates the need for an intermediate heat transport loop (IHTL). This IHTL must not only efficiently transport energy over distances up to 500 meters but must also be capable of operating at high temperatures (>850oC) for many years. High temperature, long term operation raises concerns of material strength, creep resistance and general material stability (corrosion resistance). IHTL design is currently in the initial stages. Many questions remain to be answered before intelligent design can begin. The report begins to look at some of the issues surrounding the main components of an IHTL. Specifically, a stress analysis of a compact heat exchanger design under expected operating conditions is reported. Also the results of a thermal analysis performed on two ITHL pipe configurations for different heat transport fluids are presented. The configurations consist of separate hot supply and cold return legs as well as annular design in which the hot fluid is carried in an inner pipe and the cold return fluids travels in the opposite direction in the annular space around the hot pipe. The effects of insulation configurations on pipe configuration performance are also reported. Finally, a simple analysis of two different process heat exchanger designs, one a tube in shell type and the other a compact or microchannel reactor are evaluated in light of catalyst requirements. Important insights into the critical areas of research and development are gained from these analyses, guiding the direction of future areas of research.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-99ID13727
• OSTI ID: 911251
• Report Number(s): INL/EXT-05-00690
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
ANNULAR SPACE
CATALYSTS
CONFIGURATION
CORROSION
CREEP
DESIGN
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
Intermedaite Heat Transfer Loop
LEGS
NUCLEAR POWER
PROCESS HEAT
Process heat exchanger (PHX)
molten salt
helium
STABILITY
STRESS ANALYSIS
THERMAL ANALYSIS
TRANSPORT
intermdiate heat exchanger (IHX)
thermochemical hydrogen