Integrated fusion power plant

Abstract

The power conversion system includes a fusion reactor operable to generate primary heat and an auxiliary system operable to work with the fusion reactor to generate waste heat. It includes an evaporator operable to convert the working fluid from a liquid state to a superheated steam state in response to receiving the primary heat, and a generator operable to generate an electric current. A turbine is coupled to the generator and operable to operate the generator and discharge the working fluid in response to receiving the working fluid in the form of superheated steam. A condenser is operable to receive the working fluid from the turbine and condense the working fluid into a liquid state, and an auxiliary heater is operable to preheat the working fluid before it enters the evaporator in response to receiving the waste heat.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Power generation, particularly thermal power generation, is an energy conversion process in which energy is generated in the form of heat, and the heat is used to drive a thermodynamic cycle such as a Rankine cycle or a Brayton cycle. Practical fusion power generation requires extracting heat from a reaction vessel that can be maintained in a vacuum. Therefore, in proposed fusion designs, there is no heat transfer medium that promotes heat transfer.

[0002] [Summary of the Invention] In one configuration, a power generation conversion system includes: a fusion reactor operable to generate main heat; an auxiliary system operable in cooperation with the fusion reactor to generate waste heat; and an evaporator having an inlet for inputting a working fluid in a liquid phase and an outlet for discharging the working fluid in a superheated vapor phase. The evaporator operates, in response to receiving the main heat, to convert the working fluid from the liquid phase to the superheated vapor phase.

[0003] A generator operates to generate an electric current, a turbine is coupled to the generator, operates to drive the generator in response to receiving the working fluid in the superheated vapor phase, and operates to discharge the working fluid. A condenser receives the working fluid from the turbine and operates to condense the working fluid into the liquid phase. An auxiliary heater operates, in response to receiving the waste heat, to preheat the working fluid before the working fluid enters the evaporator.

[0004] In another configuration, the power conversion system includes a fusion reactor capable of being operated to generate primary heat and an auxiliary system capable of being operated in cooperation with the fusion reactor to generate waste heat. A compressor operates to compress a gas flow, a heat exchanger operates to heat the gas flow in response to receiving primary heat, and a first generator operates to generate electric current. A turbine is coupled to the first generator and the compressor and operates to operate the first generator and the compressor in response to receiving the heated gas flow, and to discharge the gas flow as exhaust gas. A Rankine cycle operates to operate a second generator in response to receiving the exhaust gas and the waste heat.

[0005] To facilitate the identification of any particular element or operation, the most important digit or group of digits in the reference number indicates the figure number in which that element is first introduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of a nuclear fusion power conversion system, including the Rankine cycle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 schematically shows a configuration that includes a secondary heating loop in addition to the fusion power conversion system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 schematically shows another configuration of a fusion power conversion system that includes a Brayton cycle with a bottom cycle for energy recovery. [Figure 4] Figure 4 schematically shows a configuration of the fusion power conversion system in Figure 3 that includes one or more additional secondary heating loops.

[0007] [Modes for carrying out the invention] Before describing any embodiment of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the configuration details and arrangement of components described herein or the arrangement shown in the following drawings. The present invention can take other embodiments and can be carried out or performed in various ways. It should also be understood that the expressions and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0008] Various technologies related to the system and method will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals represent the same elements throughout. The drawings described below and the various embodiments used in this patent document to illustrate the principles of the disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any way. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the disclosure can be implemented in any appropriately configured apparatus. It should be understood that a function described as being performed by a particular system element may be performed by multiple elements. Similarly, for example, one element may be configured to perform a function described as being performed by multiple elements. Many of the innovative teachings of this application will be described with reference to exemplary and non-limiting embodiments.

[0009] It should be understood that words or phrases used herein should be interpreted broadly unless expressly limited in some examples. For example, “including,” “having,” and “comprising,” and their derivatives, mean unrestricted inclusion. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” also mean the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the terms “and / or” as used herein refer to and encompass any possible combination of one or more related enumerated items. The term “or” means comprehensive, i.e., and / or, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “associated with” and “associated therewith,” and their derivatives, may include meanings such as including, encompassing, interconnecting, containing, being contained, connected, combined, communicable, cooperating, intersecting, juxtaposed, adjacent, combined, having, possessing, or similar meanings. Furthermore, while multiple embodiments or configurations may be described herein, any features, methods, processes, components, etc. described in reference to one embodiment are applicable to other embodiments unless otherwise stated.

[0010] Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to refer to various elements, information, functions, or actions, but should not be interpreted as restrictive in any way. Rather, these numeral adjectives are used to distinguish different elements, information, functions, or actions from one another. For example, a first element, information, function, or action may be referred to as a second element, information, function, or action, and similarly, a second element, information, function, or action may be referred to as a first element, information, function, or action, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0011] Furthermore, the term "adjacent to" can mean that one element is relatively close to another but not in contact, or is in contact, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Additionally, the phrase "based on" means "at least partially based on" unless explicitly stated otherwise. Terms like "about" or "substantially" or similar are intended to encompass variations in values ​​within normal industrial manufacturing tolerances for that dimension. Where no industrial standard exists, unless otherwise stated, these terms imply a 20 percent variation.

[0012] Figure 1 shows a power conversion system 100, which includes a reactor in the form of a fusion reactor 108 that serves as a heat source to operate a generator 144 that drives a Rankine cycle 102 to generate electricity. In the illustrated configuration, the fusion reactor 108 is a fusion reactor, preferably an inertial confinement fusion reactor. An inertial confinement fusion reactor is a type of fusion reactor that utilizes the principle of inertial confinement to achieve a controlled fusion reaction. In this design, a target or pellet containing fusion fuel such as deuterium and tritium, or proton-boron, is exposed to powerful pulses from a laser (e.g., a neodymium glass (Nd:Glass) laser) or particle beam. These high-energy beams rapidly compress and heat the target, bringing the fusion fuel to the conditions necessary for fusion. As a result, hydrogen isotopes or other fuels fuse, releasing enormous amounts of energy in the form of high-energy particles and radiation. The main challenges in the development of inertial confinement fusion reactors are to achieve an efficient and sustained fusion reaction and to manage the extreme conditions generated during the fusion process. For example, efficiently collecting and transferring the heat generated from nuclear fusion reactions has a significant impact on the overall efficiency of the system.

[0013] During the nuclear fusion process, energy is released in the form of charged particles with high kinetic energy (e.g., alpha particles). These charged particles are confined within the reactor wall 110, thereby heating the reactor wall 110. Furthermore, additional energy can be recovered from the small amount of neutron energy that may be released during the nuclear fusion reaction.

[0014] Inertial confinement within the reactor is supported by one or more lasers 140, which operate as needed to initiate the fusion reaction of the fuel within the reactor wall 110. In the illustrated configuration, multiple lasers 140 (one illustrated) operate to compress fuel pellets that are periodically introduced into the reactor. Each pellet then undergoes a fusion process that releases a desired amount of energy, with some of that energy being captured in the form of heat within the reactor wall 110. In this process, each laser 140 generates a large amount of waste heat 138, which is also captured and utilized as described later. While this description focuses on the capture of waste heat 138 generated by the lasers 140, many other systems or components also generate heat, and their heat can be captured and utilized in a similar manner to the waste heat 138 generated by the lasers 140. Therefore, the configuration disclosed herein is not limited to the capture of waste heat 138 from the lasers 140. Rather, this capture of waste heat 138 should be considered as an example of other possible systems or configurations that can capture heat.

[0015] The reactor heat exchanger 142 is thermally connected to the reactor wall 110 and cools the reactor wall 110 while extracting useful heat from the fusion reactor 108. The reactor heat exchanger 142 may be a separate heat exchanger surrounding the reactor wall 110, may be formed as part of the reactor wall 110, or may be integrated or partially integrated with the reactor wall 110 and configured to efficiently and effectively extract heat generated by the nuclear reaction from the reactor wall 110. The reactor heat exchanger 142 is part of a primary cooling loop 114, which cools the reactor wall 110 and operates to supply heat to the Rankine cycle 102, the secondary cooling loop 204, the Brayton cycle 312, or any other heat-available cycle or system. The primary cooling loop 114 includes the reactor heat exchanger 142, an evaporator 116 or other heat exchanger 206, and a coolant 112. The coolant 112 may include a liquid metal, a molten salt, or any other chemical, element, or compound suitable for transferring a large amount of thermal energy. The primary cooling loop 114 may include a reservoir to allow for the addition, removal, or storage of the coolant 112, and may also include a pressure relief or pressure control system that operates to maintain a desired pressure within the primary cooling loop 114. Furthermore, pumps, valves, compressors, etc., may constitute part of the primary cooling loop 114 depending on the desired operation of the system.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the evaporator 116 operates much like a boiler in a typical Rankine cycle. The coolant 112 flows on the high-temperature side of the evaporator and works to heat the flow of working fluid 134 that flows on the low-temperature side of the evaporator 116. In the illustrated configuration, water is used as the working fluid 134, and as a result, the Rankine cycle 102 is a typical steam turbine cycle. Of course, other working fluids (e.g., supercritical carbon dioxide) can also be used and selected based on the level of heat available in the evaporator 116 and the requirements of the system.

[0017] The primary cooling loop 114 may include additional heat exchangers, such as a first reheater 128 and a second reheater 130, as shown in the configuration of Figure 1. Each reheater 128, 130 acts as a heat exchanger, heating the working fluid 134 as the coolant 112 passes through the high-temperature side to the low-temperature side. Of course, more or fewer reheaters may be used depending on the level of available thermal energy and the design of the Rankine cycle 102. Furthermore, the primary cooling loop 114 may include additional sensors, pumps, valves, control devices, etc., as needed to properly operate the primary cooling loop 114.

[0018] The Rankine cycle 102 shown in Figure 1 includes an evaporator 116, a turbine 104, a generator 144, a condenser 124, and a feedwater pump 126. The turbine 104 may be a single turbine or may include multiple turbines. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, the turbine 104 includes a high-pressure (HP) turbine 118, an intermediate-pressure (IP) turbine 120, and a low-pressure (LP) turbine 122, and is designed to operate using water as the working fluid 134. The HP turbine 118 receives high-pressure steam generated in the evaporator 116. Typically, this steam is in superheated steam form, but may be saturated steam. After the steam is discharged from the HP turbine 118 and expands to generate rotational energy, the steam flows to a first reheater 128, where it is reheated to superheated steam form or at least saturated steam form before passing through the IP turbine 120 to extract additional rotational energy. After passing through the IP turbine 120, the steam passes through the second reheater 130, where it is reheated again to either superheated or saturated steam form. Then, after passing through the LP turbine 122, from which further rotational energy is extracted, the steam passes through the condenser 124, where it condenses into a liquid state. The condenser 124 typically uses a flow of chilled water or other fluid to cool and condense the steam.

[0019] One or more feedwater pumps 126 receive the flow of condensed water and operate to pressurize the water and start the Rankine cycle 102. A deaerator 146 may be provided to remove air or other gases from the liquid flow. In addition, one or more feedwater heaters 132 may be provided, which use steam extracted from various positions in the turbine 104 to preheat the liquid water before it enters the evaporator 116. In addition, one or more auxiliary heaters 106 or heat exchangers may be provided, which are used to further heat the working fluid 134 before it enters the evaporator 116. In the illustrated configuration, the auxiliary heater 106 receives waste heat 138 generated during the cooling process of the laser 140. This waste heat 138 is conducted to the auxiliary heater 106 using any suitable medium (e.g., water).

[0020] Reheaters 128, 130 may be included to improve the efficiency of the Rankine cycle 102. Energy for reheating is taken from the coolant 112 from which energy has been transferred from the fusion process. As a result of the cycle design, there are many different temperature levels of water and / or steam throughout the process, providing unique opportunities to integrate heat from the cooling of the laser 140 and other fusion auxiliary systems. One example is to return the heat supplied from the cooling of the laser 140 to a point where the temperature in the feedwater of the Rankine cycle 102 is suitable. This can function as an additional feedwater heater, allowing for a reduction in the number of feedwater heaters required to achieve a given efficiency level, or it can function as an additional step to improve overall efficiency. The auxiliary systems in the power conversion system 100 contain thermal energy that can be returned to the Rankine cycle 102, improving efficiency. The amount of auxiliary power returned to the Rankine cycle 102 is approximately linearly proportional to the load of that cycle. By implementing a heat storage configuration in the primary cooling loop 114, the injection of that power into the Rankine cycle 102 can be decoupled from its load. While the primary cooling loop 114 is maintained at a constant level, the load of the Rankine cycle 102 can be varied by charging or discharging the heat storage.

[0021] The fusion reactor 108 can be operated to provide a near-steady-state thermal energy source to the power conversion system 100. Furthermore, waste heat generated by auxiliary systems in the fusion portion of the plant can also provide a near-continuous source of waste heat 138 that can be recovered for use in the energy conversion process. One example of this is waste heat 138 from the laser 140. This energy can be stored to some extent as thermal storage or to charge batteries together with a small power generator, and this power can be used to manage energy fluctuations or to keep the power conversion system 100 in an immediate operational state for startup support or power fluctuations.

[0022] The fusion reactor 108 may be over-designed to support the thermal demands of processes beyond the power conversion process shown in Figure 1. This could take the form of directly extracting heat from the fusion plant portion and supplying it to end-users (e.g., industrial processes, thermal energy storage systems, water electrolyzers, etc.). Alternatively, for lower energy level requirements, the capacity of the power conversion cycle could be increased to extract energy at lower levels (e.g., extraction from the Rankine cycle 102).

[0023] One potential drawback of the configuration in Figure 1 is the direct interface between the coolant 112 and the working fluid 134 used in the Rankine cycle 102. The power conversion system 200 shown in Figure 2 utilizes the fusion reactor 108 and Rankine cycle 102 described with respect to Figure 1, but addresses this concern by utilizing a primary cooling loop 202 that directly cools the reactor wall 110 and a secondary cooling loop 204 that receives main heat 148 from the primary cooling loop 202 and supplies it to the evaporator 116.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the primary cooling loop 202 includes a reactor heat exchanger 142, a heat exchanger 206, and a primary coolant 208. The reactor heat exchanger 142 is the same as that described with reference to Figure 1. Furthermore, the primary coolant 208 is preferably the same as the coolant 112 described with reference to Figure 1. Specifically, the primary coolant 208 may comprise liquid metal, molten salt, or any other suitable medium.

[0025] The secondary cooling loop 204 is connected to the Rankine cycle 102 similarly to the primary cooling loop 114 illustrated and described in Figure 1. However, instead of directly receiving main heat 148 from the reactor heat exchanger 142, the secondary cooling loop 204 receives the main heat 148 from the heat exchanger 206. This configuration provides an additional flow path loop between the primary cooling loop 202 that directly cools the fusion reactor 108 and the working fluid 134 that is heated to drive the Rankine cycle 102. Similarly to the configuration of Figure 1, the secondary cooling loop 204 supplies the main heat 148 to the evaporator 116, the first reheater 128, and the second reheater 130.

[0026] The secondary cooling loop 204 includes a secondary coolant 210 that operates to transfer the main heat 148 from the primary coolant 208 to the working fluid 134. The secondary coolant 210 may comprise water or any other medium suitable for transferring the main heat 148, and is used to separate the primary cooling loop 202 and the working fluid loop 136 in the Rankine cycle 102.

[0027] Reservoirs, pressure relief mechanisms, valves, sensors, pumps, controllers, and the like may be provided in the primary cooling loop 114, the primary cooling loop 202, and / or the secondary cooling loop 204, and are used to properly operate, monitor, and control each loop.

[0028] Although the fusion reactor 108 is preferably operated to provide a near-steady-state supply of thermal energy (main heat 148) to the power conversion system 200, fluctuations can occur due to the intermittency of the process. For example, the fuel or pellet injection process is not continuous, and therefore small but frequent power fluctuations can occur. One way to prevent these fluctuations from being transmitted to the power cycle is to add a heat storage system between the fusion reactor 108 and the Rankine cycle 102 to attenuate these fluctuations and keep the main heat 148 supplied to the Rankine cycle 102 constant, as if it were supplied from a heat source at a constant temperature. Adding an additional cooling loop, as shown in Figure 2, can provide some of this attenuation and result in a more stable supply of main heat 148 to the Rankine cycle 102.

[0029] The fusion reactor 108 is preferably operated at a single load point to enhance the stability of the nuclear reaction. However, since the power demand of the power conversion system 200 can fluctuate, the output of the generator 144 needs to be able to operate flexibly to follow the power grid. This can be achieved or enhanced by adding an energy storage system that can store surplus power when available and release it when additional power is needed. An example of such a configuration may include an array of batteries arranged to store electrical energy during periods when surplus power is available. In the event of a sudden load demand, these batteries can quickly release additional power without the need to increase the output of the reactor.

[0030] Either the primary cooling loop 202 or the secondary cooling loop 204, preferably the primary cooling loop 202, may include a storage mechanism for storing a portion of the primary coolant 208 or secondary coolant 210. The coolant is stored when the power conversion system 200 does not require all of the main heat 148 and can be released into the appropriate cooling loop when the load demand of the power conversion system 200 exceeds the heat supply of the fusion reactor 108. It should be noted that coolant storage may be applied to any cooling loop described herein and may be used to achieve control or shutdown of the entire system. In particular, in systems using liquid metal or molten salt, it may be necessary to include a function in the storage that keeps the metal in a liquid state or the salt in a molten state even when the reactor and system are shut down.

[0031] In the configuration shown in Figure 2, this storage configuration and process can be applied to both the primary cooling loop 202 and the secondary cooling loop 204, enabling it to cope with large and rapid load changes that the fusion reactor 108 cannot easily handle. For example, if load changes in the fusion reactor 108 cannot be avoided (large and rapid load fluctuations from the power grid), the two-stage storage system helps to attenuate the transient response caused by these load fluctuations. The power conversion system 200 can respond very quickly because storage in the secondary cooling loop 204 partially buffers the load fluctuations, and storage in the primary cooling loop 202 further attenuates the load fluctuations.

[0032] Figure 3 shows another configuration of the power conversion system 300, in which the Rankine cycle 102 is replaced by the Brayton cycle 312. Referring to Figure 3, the power conversion system 300 includes a fusion reactor 108, a primary cooling loop 114, the Brayton cycle 312, and the Rankine cycle 102 (or other bottoming cycle other than steam). The fusion reactor 108 is identical to the reactor described with respect to Figure 1 and includes a reactor wall 110 in which the fusion reaction is confined, a reactor heat exchanger 142 arranged to cool the reactor wall 110 and extract the main heat 148, and one or more lasers 140 arranged to compress the fuel and initiate the fusion reaction.

[0033] The laser 140 and other auxiliary systems associated with the fusion reactor 108 may generate waste heat and therefore require cooling. Figure 3 shows an example cooling configuration specifically configured to extract waste heat 138 from the laser 140. As will be described later, the waste heat 138 may be directed to an auxiliary heater 106, or to the Rankine cycle 102 via another utilization route 314 and used as described with respect to Figures 1 and 2, or directed to other locations as desired.

[0034] The Brayton cycle 312 includes a gas turbine having a compressor 308 and a turbine 310. The compressor 308 draws in a working fluid 134 in the form of atmospheric air and operates to compress this air to a desired operating pressure. The compressor 308 is preferably a multistage axial flow compressor and may include variable guide vanes, intercooling, and other features available for the type of compressor 308 used in the Brayton cycle 312, such as control devices, sensors, valves, etc.

[0035] The compressed working fluid 134 passes through the low-temperature side of the heat exchanger 306 and is heated by the flow of coolant 112 flowing through the high-temperature side of the heat exchanger 306. The flow rates of the coolant 112 and the working fluid 134 are selected to achieve a desired temperature for the compressed working fluid 134 exiting the heat exchanger 306. Generally, this temperature corresponds to a desired turbine inlet temperature for the turbine 310. This is similar to the configurations shown in Figures 1 and 2, where various flows and heat exchangers are selected to achieve a desired temperature in each turbine.

[0036] The turbine 310 preferably includes a plurality of axial flow stages that rotate in response to the flow of a high-temperature compressible working fluid 134, as is well known. The turbine 310 is coupled to a compressor 308 and provides the driving energy for the compressor 308. Furthermore, a first generator 302 is connected to the turbine 310 and generates electricity that is driven by the turbine 310 and supplied to users such as the power grid.

[0037] The turbine 310 discharges the working fluid 134 at a temperature and pressure high enough to provide a heat input to the Rankine cycle 102. The Rankine cycle 102 is a typical Rankine cycle 102 similar to that shown in Figure 1, except that the main heat 148 is supplied by the working fluid 134 after it has been discharged from the turbine 310. The waste heat 138 collected from the cooling of auxiliary components such as the laser 140 is directed into the Rankine cycle 102 and used as described with respect to Figure 1, and may be used to drive the second generator 304, as in a conventional combined-cycle power plant. Preferably, the waste heat 138 is directed into the working fluid loop 136 and used by an auxiliary heater 106 to preheat the compressed working fluid 134 before it enters the heat exchanger 306.

[0038] A bypass valve 212 may be provided for better control of the turbine inlet temperature. By bypassing the heat exchanger 306 and allowing the cold working fluid 134 to flow through, the temperature of the working fluid 134 before it enters the turbine 310 can be reduced. By varying this bypass flow rate, the control system can better control and maintain the desired turbine inlet temperature. A flow control valve 216 may also be provided to control the inflow rate into the turbine 310.

[0039] Furthermore, a vent valve 214 may be provided to allow control of the pressure within the working fluid loop 136, particularly before it enters the turbine 310. Of course, other valves, sensors, control devices, pumps, etc., may be used within the Brayton cycle 312 as needed. Cooling of the fusion reactor 108 by the coolant 112 provides the heat (main heat 148) necessary to drive the open-cycle gas turbine shown in Figure 3. In other configurations, different gas turbine cycles, such as a closed cycle, may be employed.

[0040] The fusion reactor 108 and its operating parameters are designed so that the coolant 112 provides enough heat to drive the Brayton cycle 312 as shown in the figure. Atmospheric air is used as the working fluid 134, which is compressed and supplied to the heat exchanger 306 and heated using the coolant 112 as an alternative to the gas turbine combustion system.

[0041] Subsequently, high-temperature compressed air (working fluid 134) is supplied to turbine 310, which is expanded and coupled to generate net power from generator 1 302. The exhaust energy from the gas turbine can then be used as an energy source for the water / steam cycle (Rankine cycle 102), thus making the configuration a concept of a gas turbine combined cycle driven by fusion heat. The steam cycle (Rankine cycle 102) as part of the combined cycle plant can also utilize waste heat 138 from other fusion auxiliary systems, including the laser 140 system, to improve its efficiency and operation.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, three valves may be used to maintain stable operation of the Brayton cycle 312. The bypass valve 212 may be used to control the turbine inlet temperature, as described above, which is a critical parameter for turbine output control.

[0043] Furthermore, in situations where an emergency shutdown of the turbine is necessary, such as when the first generator 302 suddenly becomes unloaded or disconnected from the connected power grid, rapid release of the working fluid 134 is required to avoid overspeeding of the turbine 310. A vent valve 214 is provided to rapidly release the working fluid 134 in such situations. The vent valve 214 is selected to open very quickly.

[0044] Furthermore, to improve the system's resilience, a high-speed shut-off flow control valve 216 may be installed before the turbine 310. The flow control valve 216 can be quickly closed to shut off the flow of working fluid 134 to the turbine 310. Both the vent valve 214 and the flow control valve 216 are selected to operate at high temperatures (1250°C to 1800°C) and high pressures (approximately 24 bar).

[0045] Although not shown herein, in another configuration of the power conversion system 300, multiple turbines can be used instead of turbine 310. Additional heat exchangers can be provided to reheat the working fluid 134 using a portion of the coolant 112 in the primary cooling loop 114 and before it enters the second turbine, thereby improving the power output and efficiency of the Brayton cycle 312 and reducing the size and complexity of the downstream Rankine cycle 102.

[0046] Figure 4 shows another configuration of the power conversion system 400, which includes the fusion reactor 108 configuration of Figure 3 and the same Brayton cycle 312. However, a secondary cooling loop 204 is positioned between the primary cooling loop 202 and the Brayton cycle 312.

[0047] Figure 2 shows a modification to the configuration of Figure 1, with the addition of a secondary cooling loop 204. Figure 4 is similar to Figure 2 in that this secondary cooling loop 204 is added to the configuration of Figure 3. In Figure 4, the reactor wall 110 is cooled by the reactor heat exchanger 142 and primary coolant 208, as described with respect to Figures 1 to 3, and the main heat 148 is extracted.

[0048] The secondary cooling loop 204 transfers the main heat 148 from the primary cooling loop 202 to the secondary cooling loop 204 using a heat exchanger 206. The secondary cooling loop 204 includes a secondary coolant 210 which may contain water, liquid metal, molten salt, or other medium suitable for transferring the main heat 148 to the heat exchanger 306 at a desired temperature (i.e., a temperature higher than the desired turbine inlet temperature). The Brayton cycle 312 and the associated Rankine cycle 102 operate substantially the same as those described with respect to Figure 3, except that the working fluid 134 is heated by the heat exchanger 306.

[0049] As those skilled in the art will understand, each fluid loop described herein may include additional components such as reservoirs, storage tanks, pressure relief valves, other valves, pumps, compressors, sensors, and control devices that are necessary or desirable for the proper operation and control of the system and its loops. Furthermore, the fusion reactor 108 may be over-engineered, or alternatively, the Rankine cycle 102 and / or Brayton cycle 312 may be under-engineered, in order to support the thermal demands of the process beyond the power conversion process. In this case, heat may be extracted directly from the primary cooling loop 114 and / or from any heat exchanger in the primary cooling loop 114 or the secondary cooling loop 204 used and supplied to the end user.

[0050] In an alternative configuration, the supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) cycle may be used instead of, or in combination with, the Rankine cycle 102 and / or the Brayton cycle 312.

[0051] Supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) is a working fluid that can be used in power generation systems. SCO2 refers to carbon dioxide gas that has reached a supercritical state, in which it exhibits unique properties suitable for power generation applications. When carbon dioxide is heated and pressurized beyond its critical point (31°C and 7.38 MPa), it transitions to a supercritical state that exhibits properties of both a gas and a liquid. In this state, SCO2 has the density of a liquid while flowing like a gas, and can efficiently transfer heat. SCO2 has several advantages over conventional working fluids such as steam. Firstly, its high density makes it highly efficient, enabling more compact power generation equipment and reducing energy loss during heat transfer. Secondly, it has excellent heat transfer properties, enabling effective heat exchange with heat sources and heat sinks. Furthermore, SCO2 can operate at lower temperatures and is suitable for a variety of heat sources, including waste heat and solar energy. By utilizing SCO2 in power generation systems, energy efficiency is improved, emissions are reduced, and power generation capacity is increased. The potential for integration with various heat sources and its adaptability make SCO2 an attractive option for sustainable and efficient power generation.

[0052] While the use of SCO2 does not necessarily improve efficiency, it can enable more compact turbomachinery and potentially contribute to the overall economics of the plant. Furthermore, smaller turbines allow for the consideration of independent cycles for waste heat recovery or cascaded cycles for higher fusion energy recovery processes. Additionally, SCO2 can be used as a coolant to efficiently transfer heat between various cooling loops.

[0053] While exemplary embodiments of the Disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, substitutions, variations, and improvements disclosed herein can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the Disclosure in its broadest sense.

[0054] Nothing in this application should be construed as suggesting that any particular element, process, operation, or function is an essential element that must be included in the claims. The scope of the patentable subject matter is defined solely by the permitted claims. Furthermore, none of these claims are intended to be interpreted as means plus function claims unless a gerund follows the exact phrase “means for.”

Claims

1. It is a power generation conversion system, A fusion reactor capable of being operated to generate primary heat, An auxiliary system capable of operating in cooperation with the fusion reactor to generate waste heat, An evaporator having an inlet for inputting a working fluid in liquid form and an outlet for discharging a working fluid in superheated vapor form, wherein the evaporator is operable to convert the working fluid from liquid form to superheated vapor form in response to receiving the main heat, A generator capable of operating to generate electric current, A turbine coupled to the generator and capable of operating the generator and discharging the working fluid in the form of superheated steam in response to receiving the working fluid, A condenser that receives the working fluid from the turbine and is capable of condensing the working fluid into a liquid form, An auxiliary heater that can be operated to preheat the working fluid before it enters the evaporator in response to receiving the aforementioned waste heat, A power generation and conversion system equipped with the following features.

2. A power generation conversion system according to claim 1, The fusion reactor is a fusion-driven fusion reactor, and the auxiliary system includes a plurality of lasers. The waste heat is generated during the cooling of the multiple lasers in a power generation conversion system.

3. A power generation conversion system according to claim 2, Each of the aforementioned multiple lasers is part of a power generation and conversion system that includes a water cooling system.

4. A power generation conversion system according to claim 2, The fusion reactor includes a reactor wall that is directly heated by the fusion process within the fusion reactor, The system further comprises a reactor heat exchanger thermally connected to the reactor wall, and a coolant that passes through the reactor heat exchanger to cool and heat the reactor wall.

5. A power generation conversion system according to claim 4, A power generation conversion system comprising either a molten salt or a molten metal as the coolant.

6. A power generation conversion system according to claim 2, Furthermore, it is equipped with a first reheater, The turbine includes a first turbine and a second turbine. A power generation conversion system in which the first reheater receives a portion of the main heat and reheats the working fluid after it has been discharged from the first turbine and before it enters the second turbine.

7. A power generation conversion system according to claim 2, Furthermore, it is equipped with a primary cooling loop and a secondary cooling loop, The fusion reactor includes a reactor wall that is directly heated by the fusion process within the fusion reactor, A power generation conversion system in which the primary cooling loop operates to directly cool the reactor wall, and the secondary cooling loop receives the main heat from the primary cooling loop.

8. A power generation conversion system according to claim 2, Furthermore, the system includes a coolant that flows through the primary cooling loop. A power generation conversion system in which the coolant is either a molten salt or a molten metal.

9. It is a power generation conversion system, A fusion reactor capable of being operated to generate primary heat, An auxiliary system capable of operating in cooperation with the fusion reactor to generate waste heat, A compressor capable of operating to compress a gas flow, A heat exchanger capable of operating to heat the gas flow in response to receiving the aforementioned main heat, A first generator capable of operating to generate electric current, A turbine coupled to the first generator and the compressor, which operates the first generator and the compressor in response to receiving the heated gas flow, and which is capable of discharging the gas flow as exhaust gas, A Rankine cycle that can be operated to operate a second generator in response to receiving the exhaust gas and waste heat, A power generation and conversion system equipped with the following features.

10. A power generation conversion system according to claim 9, The fusion reactor is a fusion-driven fusion reactor, and the auxiliary system includes a plurality of lasers. The waste heat is generated during the cooling of the multiple lasers in a power generation conversion system.

11. A power generation conversion system according to claim 10, Each of the aforementioned multiple lasers is part of a power generation and conversion system that includes a water cooling system.

12. A power generation conversion system according to claim 10, The fusion reactor includes a reactor wall that is directly heated by the fusion process within the fusion reactor, The system further comprises a heat exchanger thermally connected to the reactor wall and a coolant that passes through the heat exchanger to cool and heat the reactor wall.

13. A power generation conversion system according to claim 12, A power generation conversion system comprising either a molten salt or a molten metal as the coolant.

14. A power generation conversion system according to claim 12, Furthermore, it is equipped with a main heat exchanger, The main heat exchanger includes a first channel for receiving the coolant and a second channel for receiving the compressed gas flow from the compressor. A power generation conversion system in which the heat exchanger operates to cool the coolant and heat the gas flow from the compressor.

15. A power generation conversion system according to claim 10, The Rankine cycle includes an evaporator having an inlet for inputting a working fluid in liquid form and an outlet for discharging a working fluid in superheated vapor form. A power generation conversion system in which the evaporator operates in response to receiving the exhaust gas to convert the working fluid from a liquid state to a superheated steam state.

16. A power generation conversion system according to claim 15, The Rankine cycle is a power conversion system that includes an auxiliary heater that can be operated to preheat the working fluid before it enters the evaporator in response to receiving the waste heat.

Images