We have been conducting design study for heat application systems utilizing HTGR such as power generation system, H2 production plant, steel making plant, sea water desalination plant, etc.
Regarding the power generation system, we are proposing nuclear renewable hybrid system. The system can compensate the variation of power output from solar and/or wind power plants at constant efficiency by maintaining reactor outlet temperature and optimizing heat assignment to the helium gas turbine and H2 production plant.
Regarding the desalination plant, we are proposing a Multi Stage Flash type desalination plant which utilizes waste heat in helium gas turbine. We estimated that the cost of portable water cost from HTGR desalination system can be reduced by 50% comparing to that of the combined cycle gas turbine plant using natural gas by optimizing the number of heater in the plant.
Regarding the steel making plant, we participated in Green Energy Ironmaking and Steelmaking Research Group under the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan from 2008 to 2011 and investigated a hydrogen reduction steelmaking system including HTGR and IS process H2 production plant. As a result of the study, we have found that amount of CO2 emission can be considerably reduced by introducing the system. In addition, we concluded that the system can be economically competitive with blast furnace and shaft furnace.
HTGR heat application system
- Reference
- X. Yan, et al., A Small Modular Reactor Design for Multiple Energy Applications: HTR50S, Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 45[3], 1-14 (2013).
- H. Sato et al., Assessment of load-following capability of VHTR cogeneration systems, Annals of Nuclear Energy, .49, .33-40 (2012).
- X. Yan et al., Study of an incrementally loaded multistage flash desalination system for optimum use of sensible waste heat from nuclear power plant, International Journal of Energy Research, .37[14],1811-1820 (2013).
- S. Kasahara et al., Flowsheet Evaluation of Nuclear Hydrogen Steelmaking Processes with VHTR-IS (Very High Temperature Reactor and Iodine-sulfur Process), ISIJ International 52[8], 1409-1419 (2012).