A Combined Cycle Power Conversion System for Small Modular Reactor

Abstract

This chapter presents the innovative approach to combined cycle system for power conversion for small modular reactor designed in the form of a liquid-metal fast-breeder reactor infrastructure and the need for nuclear power plant for production of electricity. The foundation has been structured and consequently some technology of ongoing research that makes production of electricity from the nuclear power plant more cost-effective. For the nuclear reactors to be more comparative with fossil- and gas-fueled power plants, they need to be as efficient as the traditional power plants are when it comes to output thermal efficiency. As this chapter suggests, utilizing the combined cycles to drive and produce electricity via nuclear fuel makes more sense to own them from both return on investment and total cost of ownership and efficient for their owners, namely, electricity companies. Results of modeling a combined cycle Brayton-Rankine power conversion system are presented in this chapter, and base model reactor for this purpose was chosen to be the molten salt reactor type. The Rankine bottoming cycle appears to offer significant advantages over the recuperated Brayton cycle. The overall cycle in the modeling, for purpose of writing this chapter, was optimized as a unit, and lower-pressure Rankine systems did seem to be more efficient. The combined cycle requires a lot less circulating water for a heat dump than current power plants.