VHTR-based systems for autonomous co-generation applications Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • As highly efficient advanced nuclear systems, Generation IV Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTR) can be considered in a variety of configurations for electricity generation and process heat applications. Simultaneous delivery of electricity, low-temperature process heat (for potable water production, district heating, etc.) and high temperature process heat (for hydrogen production, etc.) by a single cogeneration system offers unique deployment options as "all-in-one" power stations. This paper is focused on the VHTR-based systems for autonomous co-generation applications. The analysis is being performed within the scope of the U.S. DOE NERI project on utilization of higher actinides (TRUs and partitioned MAs) as a fuel component for extended-life VHTR configurations. It accounts for system performance characteristics including VHTR physics features, control options and energy conversion efficiencies. Utilization of TRUs in VHTRs is explored to stabilize in-core fuel compositions (core self-stabilization) leading to extended single-batch OTTO (Once-Through-Then-Out) modes of operation without intermediate refueling. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

published proceedings

  • NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

author list (cited authors)

  • Tsvetkov, P. V., Lewis, T., Alajo, A. B., & Ames, D.

citation count

  • 4

complete list of authors

  • Tsvetkov, Pavel V||Lewis, Tom GIII||Alajo, Ayodeji B||Ames, David EII

publication date

  • October 2010