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Title: POWER CYCLE AND STRESS ANALYSES FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOR

Abstract

The Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory are developing a Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) to serve as a demonstration of state-of-the-art nuclear technology. The purpose of the demonstration is two fold 1) efficient low cost energy generation and 2) hydrogen production. Although a next generation plant could be developed as a single-purpose facility, early designs are expected to be dual-purpose. While hydrogen production and advanced energy cycles are still in its early stages of development, research towards coupling a high temperature reactor, electrical generation and hydrogen production is under way. Many aspects of the NGNP must be researched and developed in order to make recommendations on the final design of the plant. Parameters such as working conditions, cycle components, working fluids, and power conversion unit configurations must be understood. Three configurations of the power conversion unit were demonstrated in this study. A three-shaft design with three turbines and four compressors, a combined cycle with a Brayton top cycle and a Rankine bottoming cycle, and a reheated cycle with three stages of reheat were investigated. An intermediate heat transport loop for transporting process heat to a High Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE) hydrogen production plant was used. Helium, CO2,more » and a 80% nitrogen, 20% helium mixture (by weight) were studied to determine the best working fluid in terms cycle efficiency and development cost. In each of these configurations the relative component size were estimated for the different working fluids. The relative size of the turbomachinery was measured by comparing the power input/output of the component. For heat exchangers the volume was computed and compared. Parametric studies away from the baseline values of the three-shaft and combined cycles were performed to determine the effect of varying conditions in the cycle. This gives some insight into the sensitivity of these cycles to various operating conditions as well as trade offs between efficiency and capital cost. Parametric studies were carried out on reactor outlet temperature, mass flow, pressure, and turbine cooling. Recommendations on the optimal working fluid for each configuration were made. Engineering analyses were performed for several configurations of the intermediate heat transport loop that transfers heat from the nuclear reactor to the hydrogen production plant. The analyses evaluated parallel and concentric piping arrangements and two different working fluids, including helium and a liquid salt. The thermal-hydraulic analyses determined the size and insulation requirements for the hot and cold leg pipes in the different configurations. Mechanical analyses were performed to determine hoop stresses and thermal expansion characteristics for the different configurations. Economic analyses were performed to estimate the cost of the various configurations.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE - NE
OSTI Identifier:
911965
Report Number(s):
INL/CON-06-12036
TRN: US0801636
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-99ID-13727
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: ICAPP07,Nice Acropolis, France,05/13/2007,05/18/2007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; BOTTOMING CYCLES; CAPITALIZED COST; COMBINED CYCLES; EFFICIENCY; GAS COOLED REACTORS; HEAT EXCHANGERS; HELIUM; HYDROGEN PRODUCTION; PROCESS HEAT; REACTORS; STRESSES; THERMAL EXPANSION; TURBINES; TURBOMACHINERY; WORKING CONDITIONS; WORKING FLUIDS; Power cycle, HTGR

Citation Formats

Oh, Chang H, Davis, Cliff, Hawkes, Brian D, and Sherman, Steven R. POWER CYCLE AND STRESS ANALYSES FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOR. United States: N. p., 2007. Web.
Oh, Chang H, Davis, Cliff, Hawkes, Brian D, & Sherman, Steven R. POWER CYCLE AND STRESS ANALYSES FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOR. United States.
Oh, Chang H, Davis, Cliff, Hawkes, Brian D, and Sherman, Steven R. 2007. "POWER CYCLE AND STRESS ANALYSES FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOR". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/911965.
@article{osti_911965,
title = {POWER CYCLE AND STRESS ANALYSES FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS-COOLED REACTOR},
author = {Oh, Chang H and Davis, Cliff and Hawkes, Brian D and Sherman, Steven R},
abstractNote = {The Department of Energy and the Idaho National Laboratory are developing a Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) to serve as a demonstration of state-of-the-art nuclear technology. The purpose of the demonstration is two fold 1) efficient low cost energy generation and 2) hydrogen production. Although a next generation plant could be developed as a single-purpose facility, early designs are expected to be dual-purpose. While hydrogen production and advanced energy cycles are still in its early stages of development, research towards coupling a high temperature reactor, electrical generation and hydrogen production is under way. Many aspects of the NGNP must be researched and developed in order to make recommendations on the final design of the plant. Parameters such as working conditions, cycle components, working fluids, and power conversion unit configurations must be understood. Three configurations of the power conversion unit were demonstrated in this study. A three-shaft design with three turbines and four compressors, a combined cycle with a Brayton top cycle and a Rankine bottoming cycle, and a reheated cycle with three stages of reheat were investigated. An intermediate heat transport loop for transporting process heat to a High Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE) hydrogen production plant was used. Helium, CO2, and a 80% nitrogen, 20% helium mixture (by weight) were studied to determine the best working fluid in terms cycle efficiency and development cost. In each of these configurations the relative component size were estimated for the different working fluids. The relative size of the turbomachinery was measured by comparing the power input/output of the component. For heat exchangers the volume was computed and compared. Parametric studies away from the baseline values of the three-shaft and combined cycles were performed to determine the effect of varying conditions in the cycle. This gives some insight into the sensitivity of these cycles to various operating conditions as well as trade offs between efficiency and capital cost. Parametric studies were carried out on reactor outlet temperature, mass flow, pressure, and turbine cooling. Recommendations on the optimal working fluid for each configuration were made. Engineering analyses were performed for several configurations of the intermediate heat transport loop that transfers heat from the nuclear reactor to the hydrogen production plant. The analyses evaluated parallel and concentric piping arrangements and two different working fluids, including helium and a liquid salt. The thermal-hydraulic analyses determined the size and insulation requirements for the hot and cold leg pipes in the different configurations. Mechanical analyses were performed to determine hoop stresses and thermal expansion characteristics for the different configurations. Economic analyses were performed to estimate the cost of the various configurations.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/911965}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2007},
month = {Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2007}
}

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