Thermal energy storage system connected to both the reactor and the generator

Abstract

A thermal energy storage system is provided that is connected to both the nuclear reactor and the generator. [Solution] The integrated energy system includes a nuclear heat plant located on the reactor site. The nuclear heat plant produces thermal energy that is transported to a thermal energy storage system located outside the reactor site. The thermal storage system is thermally coupled to a power generation system that is also remote from the reactor site. This arrangement isolates and decouples the nuclear heat plant from the power generation system. The nuclear heat plant can provide thermal energy above 800°C that is stored in the thermal energy storage system until needed, such as for industrial heat, the power generation system, or other uses. The thermal storage system is source-forgiving, allowing one or more additional thermal energy generators, such as additional nuclear reactors, solar thermal plants, or other thermal energy generators, to be coupled to the common thermal storage system and power generation system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 986,902, filed Mar. 9, 2020. This application is also a partial continuation of PCT / US2020 / 028011, filed Apr. 13, 2020. The PCT / US2020 / 028011 claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 833,623, filed Apr. 12, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 929,003, filed Oct. 31, 2019. All of these are entitled "NUCLEAR THERMAL PLANT WITH LOAD - FOLLOWING POWER GENERATION", the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] [Background] The field of the present disclosure relates to nuclear reactors, and more specifically to nuclear reactors for generating heat with improved safety and load - following capabilities.

[0003] Conventional methods and systems for generating electricity from nuclear reactors require that the nuclear reactor receive significant planning, construction, and regulatory approval of the nuclear island before startup. The nuclear reactor is connected to a power cycle for converting nuclear thermal energy into electricity and is typically converted by a steam turbine that uses water as the working fluid. Although nuclear reactors operating in this way have been around for decades, typical configurations have several drawbacks.

[0004] For example, nuclear islands, which include the reactor area, fuel handling systems, and energy conversion systems, typically operate at high temperatures and pressures, requiring large containment structures. Furthermore, structures located on nuclear islands must also be inspected and granted nuclear licenses by regulatory authorities in order to operate, which is a long and costly effort.

[0005] Furthermore, nuclear reactors are vulnerable to errors in the rest of the plant, such as malfunctioning equipment causing the nuclear plant to shut down automatically. Finally, nuclear power plants are not designed to withstand rapid changes in output and therefore cannot efficiently keep up with load demands from the power grid.

[0006] While nuclear power plants offer numerous and significant advantages over other forms of power generation, it is desirable that they provide safer, more flexible, and more efficient systems for generating, storing, and converting thermal energy, as well as improvements that will result in other features as will become apparent from the following description.

[0007] [Summary of the Invention] According to one embodiment, a nuclear power plant can be reconfigured, relocated, and operated as a nuclear thermal plant, offering numerous advantages. For example, a nuclear power plant can be reconfigured and operated to supply thermal energy, which can be transported to an off-site thermal storage system. The thermal storage system can then be coupled to an energy conversion plant that converts the thermal energy into industrial heat, electricity, or some other useful purpose. There are many advantages that can be realized by separating the reactor from the rest of the plant, including the energy conversion system.

[0008] For example, reducing the number of devices installed on a nuclear island would allow for much more efficient regulatory approval. In some reactors, the coolant is supplied by a liquid metal such as sodium. When sodium encounters water, the resulting reaction is exothermic and energetic, and safety systems must be in place to inhibit this reaction or contain it if it occurs. By placing the steam plant away from the reactor, the reactor is isolated from any water-containing systems that may be typically used in conjunction with a nuclear power plant.

[0009] In addition, multiple nuclear thermal plants can be coupled into a shared thermal storage system, which offers advantages in terms of cost and construction time, and also facilitates maintenance by allowing one or more reactors to be shut down without affecting the entire nuclear thermal plant. Furthermore, nuclear thermal plants can supply more energy more effectively during periods of high demand than when they are directly coupled to an energy conversion system.

[0010] The following description provides concepts that offer progressive possibilities for the economics of sodium reactor plants, as well as reactor plants using other fuels, coolants, and technologies. These advancements may arise from reimagining technologies that reduce cost and scheduling uncertainties, and from expanding revenue sources, such as supplying both electricity and heat to consumers. In addition to economic benefits, it may be possible to ensure the ability to address policy issues (such as grid reliability, weapons proliferation resistance, exportability, and ease of use in the field) and enable the realization of benefits.

[0011] [Brief explanation of the drawing] A better understanding of the features, advantages, and principles of this disclosure will be obtained by referring to the following detailed description, which describes exemplary embodiments, and the accompanying drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 shows a typical nuclear power plant.

[0013] Figure 2 shows a nuclear thermal plant separated from a power plant, according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled to a thermal energy storage plant according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled to a remote thermal storage plant having an optional auxiliary thermal storage plant, according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled to a remote thermal storage system coupled to an external load, according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 6 shows exemplary industrial heating applications and required temperatures.

[0018] Figure 7 shows an energy system in which multiple heat sources share a common heat storage and energy conversion system, according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 8 shows an energy system, according to one embodiment, in which multiple heat sources share a common heat storage and energy conversion system with an auxiliary power system.

[0020] Figure 9 shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled to an external load, a remote heat storage system, and auxiliary heat utilization, according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 10 shows a hybrid energy system in which multiple forms of thermal energy generators are coupled to a common thermal storage system and a common power conversion system, according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 11 shows an energy system in which the nuclear power block is separated from the power block by an integrated energy storage block, according to one embodiment.

[0023] Figure 12A shows an integrated energy system with a nuclear thermal plant according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 12B shows an integrated energy system having a nuclear power plant with an intermediate heat loop removed from the system architecture, according to an embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 13A shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a compact heat exchanger, according to an embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 13B shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a compact heat exchanger, according to an embodiment.

[0027] FIG. 14A shows a schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant having a cylindrical multitube heat exchanger, according to an embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 14B shows a schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant having a compact heat exchanger, according to an embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 15 shows a schematic diagram of an integrated energy system utilizing a supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle, according to an embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant coupled to a remote supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle coupled to an external load, according to an embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 17 shows a schematic diagram of an integrated energy system in which a nuclear power plant supplies thermal energy to a heat storage system and a power cycle system, according to an embodiment.

[0032] [Detailed Description] The following detailed description provides a better understanding of the features and advantages of the invention described herein, in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein. The detailed description includes many specific embodiments, which are provided by way of example only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention disclosed herein.

[0033] While the cost of nuclear power is important and noteworthy, the revenue and policy aspects of nuclear power are equally worth focusing on. The cost of nuclear power is a crucial indicator in describing its commercial appeal, while also entering the highly regulated and commercialized market for base load power generation. Finding approaches that reduce the regulatory burden and broaden commercial market opportunities is key to progressive economic change that increases revenue for a moderate cost increase. Enabling technological solutions to policy issues also holds strategic value that is difficult to capture in considering nighttime construction costs. Leveraging currently undervalued attributes, such as zero CO2 emissions, along with the ability to integrate with an increasingly dynamic power grid, will become more valuable in the coming decades.

[0034] In addition to the challenges of operating costs for load following with nuclear energy, base load generation lacks the ability to keep up with revenues because electricity prices fluctuate daily, like "peeker" plants (for example, power plants that can only be operated when there is high or peak demand). To improve the competitiveness of nuclear power in a changing energy environment, technological and process innovations are needed to enable nuclear power plants to operate at full capacity and access market arbitrage opportunities in addition to full output generation. When electricity prices fall below the production costs of intermittent renewable energy, nuclear power plants need alternative means of production to replace only load-following electricity demand. This fundamentally requires an understanding of the competitive advantages of nuclear plants compared to intermittent renewable energy sources. These competitive advantages lead to the desire and opportunity for co-location with other industrial processes to achieve economies of concentration in energy production and manufacturing processes.

[0035] One of the characteristics of nuclear power compared to wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources is concentrated shaft power that precedes power generation and thermal output. Leveraging these differences can define a competitive advantage in low-cost energy production, either by more efficiently storing energy or by creating another marketable product. Many power plants rely on the steam Rankine cycle to convert thermal energy into electricity. While the conversion of shaft power to electricity in rotary generators is highly efficient (98-99%), the conversion from electricity back to shaft power is slightly less efficient (~95%). Further losses occur with boost voltage for transmission, transmission through transmission lines, and step-down voltage for local consumption. While the exact losses from transmission to consumption are location- and distance-dependent, the overall estimated loss from power generation to on-site consumption at a nuclear plant is estimated at 2-4% in this example. Combined efficiency losses show that direct shaft power has an efficiency gain of 8-11% compared to power generation to shaft power at a different location. As a result, there is a potential competitive advantage (strength) arbitrage opportunity between power generation and direct shaft-powered work with a sufficiently capable clutch and gear system. The clutch and gear system can convert shaft power entirely or partially to non-power generation work. The challenges lie in the application of start / stop up to the gigawatt scale and the mass flow rate of each product to support those enormous workloads.

[0036] One such example is the use of compressed air energy storage (CAES) or liquefied air energy storage (LAES) to supply shaft power for liquefying air, in addition to supplying base load power demand, thereby enabling nuclear power plants to operate at full capacity during periods of low electricity prices (and therefore low electricity demand). The cryogenic liquefied air stored at atmospheric pressure can later be boiled with nuclear waste heat to drive power generation turbines. CAES and LAES are estimated to scale to storage on a GW-hr scale and represent a critical capability for power management. The stored liquefied air can then drive turbines during peak electricity prices, keeping nuclear power away from base load price determination alone. The scalability of CAES and LAES technologies and the technological maturity of large cryogenic storage tanks present an opportunity to combine centralized shaft power for cryogenic cooling of nuclear power plants with waste heat to boil liquefied air and drive turbines. This combination of capabilities is more effective than the currently proposed electric-driven pump requirements and "thermal storage" needs of CAES and LAES technologies, giving the joint technology a competitive advantage compared to either technology alone. With proper development, this technology could be used to refit the current US nuclear fleet into producing 99 GW of electricity.

[0037] While the most likely use of CAES and LAES is for energy production, the more selective distillation of liquefied compressed air can also provide high-quality gaseous streams as marketable products. One example would be selling pure oxygen streams by thermal distillation for medical or power generation purposes, for companies wishing to simplify carbon capture by eliminating NOx and SOx problems by simply burning natural gas and oxygen. This opens up the possibility of coexisting natural gas power plants with CAES nuclear power plants to simplify carbon sequestration. The remaining distilled gases may, for example, be supplied for their low-temperature, specific gas values, or consumed in wind turbines to generate electricity.

[0038] Another similar application of shaft power in the United States is the liquefied natural gas (LNG) export market, where demand continues to grow, reaching approximately 8.9 billion cubic feet per day by 2019. Currently, up to 10% of the supply gas for liquefaction is consumed in the process. Using more conservative estimates for a 4100 kJ / kg liquefaction process, approximately 230 GWh of energy is needed per year to support the current liquefaction process. Nuclear power plants can play a significant role in increasing LNG exports to other parts of the world through a combination of direct compression or CAES energy storage using chilled water CAES on one side of a heat exchanger and natural gas on the other. In this combined system, natural gas is liquefied for storage or export, and compressed air is boiled to drive an electric turbine. In either case, the air and natural gas can be brought into the power plant and processed easily, and are relatively well-suited for "start-and-shutdown" operations to accommodate load following.

[0039] Another example of fluid pump transport is hyperpumped-storage hydropower / aquifer renewal as a rational start / stop application. Assuming that market signals to guarantee large-scale pump transport (pumping, pressurizing) efforts and associated pipelines will develop in the next decade, the efficiency improvements using direct shaft power for aquifer renewal will amount to 7 quads per year (i.e., 1 quad = 10 quads). 15 BTU, i.e., 1.055 × 10⁻⁶ 18 It could exceed joules. While water recycling efforts would likely reduce the pumping effort required, they probably wouldn't eliminate the need for replacement water. Furthermore, these pumping efforts would also serve a massive "lifting" capacity, potentially running back along pipelines to replenish intermittent power and replenish regional aquifers.

[0040] As mentioned earlier, centralized shaft power is just one of the characteristics of nuclear power compared to solar, wind, and other renewable energy options. Industrial processes that produce refined oil, coke, steel, chemicals, cement, etc., require both energy and specific temperatures. This minimum temperature requirement for chemical processes to occur is a key differentiator in determining which primary energy source is best. While major heat consumption is specific to a single market, the temperature requirements for a given process are universally necessary. Processes have a spectrum of temperature requirements, but the main interesting temperatures appear to be 100-250°C, with steam and hot water production, refining (petrochemical) processes in the 250-550°C range, and high-temperature processes for cement, steel, and glass production exceeding 1000°C. Looking at the overall energy market, oil refining consumes more than 6 quads per year, and forest products consume just over 3 quads per year.

[0041] Fossil fuels currently meet both the scale and temperature of energy demand. In a decarbonized energy world, the challenge lies in finding the best alternatives to the utility and versatility of fossil fuels. Wind, solar, and hydropower generate substantial amounts of energy, but not substantial amounts of high-quality heat. These energy sources must undergo further energy conversion to produce higher-quality process heat. Pricing for these energy sources must include additional processes, such as hydrogen production using resistance heaters or blast furnaces. Additional energy storage requirements may exist to achieve high capacity utilization rates for operating industrial equipment 24 hours a day, or to accept "loss of opportunity" in low-capacity plants.

[0042] Nuclear power plants have competed on price by competing with heat rather than electricity, based on $ / kWe converted to the required temperature relative to the temperature $ / mmBtu. One of the most obvious starting points of competition is the direct generation and consumption of steam. Forest products consume 1.3 quads of steam per year, which is equivalent to more than 45 GWth of a nuclear power plant running 24 hours a day simply for process steam. In the production of forest products, part of the process generates waste such as black liquor (e.g., waste from the kraft process when digesting pulp to make paper pulp and removing lignin, hemicellulose and other extracts from wood to remove cellulose fibers), biomass and other residual fuels, which are burned to generate steam for process heating. The remainder of the required fuel is currently supplemented by coal or natural gas. By utilizing nuclear power for steam, 1330 TBtu (1.3 quads) of major energy used for other high-temperature applications such as petroleum refining and cement applications would be freed up. By utilizing nuclear thermal energy to provide high-quality process heat to forestry, the recovered forest product energy, combined with reserve energy, could meet the energy requirements (combined less than 1 quad) for both cement and glass manufacturing in the United States. The combustion of forest products is considered carbon-neutral active and therefore allows for nuclear substitution of steam generation to directly support high-temperature processes. While there is considerable flexibility in fuel sources for cement manufacturing, technological innovation will be needed to ensure that forestry fuel products can be transported and used for other major thermal applications. Similar to forest products, the chemical manufacturing industry as a whole consumes 1.2 quads of steam, which could be directly replaced by steam generated by nuclear power. However, this energy displacement does not completely liberate renewable fuel sources, but simply reduces the amount of natural gas and coal needed to drive processes, and even in this case, renewable energy would also be burned to support its conversion into products.

[0043] Another use of steam from nuclear power involves a combination of nuclear plants producing steam for hydrogen electrolysis while intermittent power sources generate cheap electricity, and electricity when the intermittent power sources are off. As the steam temperature increases, the electricity required for electrolysis decreases. However, the increased power efficiency at higher temperatures may not be economically interesting in a world where intermittent power generation during peak hours brings electricity costs down to "meter-level cheap." If the cost of electrolysis equipment can be cheaply integrated into a steam bypass pipeline, reactors could easily switch to electrolysis, partially or entirely, during periods of cheap electricity. This would allow nuclear plants to compete for heat production during periods of low electricity prices and for electricity during periods of high electricity prices. The resulting hydrogen production should be viewed not only as an energy storage mechanism but also as a source of heat for industries requiring temperatures above 1000°C, such as cement, iron, steel, and glass.

[0044] For advanced reactors with higher outlet temperatures, more direct industrial process opportunities become available. For example, higher reactor outlet temperatures can be used as preheaters for other industrial processes or as a primary heat source for chemical processes. In petroleum refining, there is a significant energy demand in hydrocarbon distillation and cracking, which require more than 6 quads of energy. Sodium-cooled reactors can be the primary heat source for numerous cryogenic cracking processes, and the reactor heat can also be "heated up" to the required peak refinery temperature using electric heating or small amounts of fossil fuels. Many of the technical challenges in this case are establishing refinery technologies that accept temperature and energy inputs other than petroleum, electricity, and steam, as well as minimizing the number of heat exchangers / loss values ​​during heat exchange. One example would be a replacement for the salt / oil heat exchanger for traditional combustion boxes for high-temperature cracking. Other types of advanced reactors, such as molten salt reactors, can be used to directly generate the required high-temperature industrial process heat, for example.

[0045] Furthermore, there is an opportunity for heat storage to separate heat production from heat utilization in nuclear thermal plants. It has been proposed to heat large heat accumulators using the primary coolant of the nuclear thermal plant, for example, as a phase-change salt, and pump the heated salt into large tanks. These large tanks of heated salt can then be used to generate electricity by a steam Rankine cycle or to supply process heat for coating bases. By separating heat generation from its direct utilization, the heat accumulator serves as a flexible means of "load following" electricity generation by operating at full power and filling high-temperature saltwater tanks, but generating electricity when it is more valuable, such as during peak demand or more traditional base load energy generation. This approach also allows nuclear power plants to operate like Pika plants for price arbitrage opportunities, while still operating at full power. Additional cost savings also exist if nuclear power plants and primary coolant / salt heat exchangers and salt storage facilities can be separated as non-critical to the safety of the reactor, thereby subjecting construction and equipment regulations for power generation to the same standards as non-nuclear power plants. This enables typical commercial security protocols, operating and maintenance costs ("O&M"), and quality standards, which can justify any heat exchanger or heat loss by pumping hot salt out of the safe zone of the nuclear power plant. Essentially, power systems for nuclear power plants can be built in non-NQA1 environments (with associated maintenance work) to obtain commercially competitive structures from existing solar thermosalt power companies.

[0046] Higher-temperature reactors, such as sodium-cooled, molten salt, and high-temperature gas reactors, can also participate in hydrogen production using processes different from wind and solar energy, in addition to the steam-electrolysis discussed earlier. One example of a high-temperature process is the copper-chlorine cycle. This cycle uses process heat at 400-500°C to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases. The final stage of the cycle recirculates all chemicals except water, which is converted into gas, using ambient-temperature electrolysis. This process presents an interesting opportunity to "supply-follow" the inexpensive electricity generated during peak wind and solar periods. The plant equipment and O&M costs are justified by running a higher-temperature nuclear thermal plant nonstop to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases, while filling tanks with copper-chlorine reactants for electrolysis. When electricity becomes inexpensive, ambient-temperature electrolysis is used to return the tanks to the appropriate chemical precursors, restarting the cycle. This process is spiritually similar to filling salt tanks with thermos salts for later use, but more specifically tailored to the final chemical product. While this example does not necessarily advocate for the copper-chlorine cycle, the idea of ​​power supply tracking is a different approach from energy storage to track demand. Furthermore, this process would allow most of the equipment used in nuclear power plants for hydrogen production to be used only in certain tanks and electrolysis units that are idle during normal operation.

[0047] These features and benefits, like many others, can be realized by relocating nuclear power plants, which would allow for the co-location of nuclear thermal plants with industrial and chemical thermal applications, reduce the footprint of NQA1 certified areas, and enable load-following capabilities while operating reactors at full power.

[0048] Referring to Figure 1, a typical nuclear power plant 100 is shown. The layout of the nuclear power plant 100 includes two main parts: a nuclear island and a turbine island. The nuclear island has a reactor area 102 at its center that houses the reactor. The fuel handling area 104 is adjacent to the reactor area, and both buildings are usually located within a containment area 106. The containment area 106 may include a containment enclosure structure, which can be made of reinforced steel, concrete, or lead, or a combination of materials that form the enclosing structure that houses the reactor. Its design and function is to contain leaking radioactive steam or gas, and is often designed to contain gas leaking at pressures of 550 kPa or higher. The containment structure is designed as the last line of defense to withstand a design basis accident. The cost of constructing the containment structure is not only directly proportional to the size of the reactor, but also based on the rest of the plant's systems and the components that need to be housed within them. The nuclear island also includes auxiliary components such as pumps, fluid loops, control rooms, and other supporting components.

[0049] The fuel handling area 104, which may be located within the containment area 106, is designed to provide refueling capacity at a rate that maintains continuous reactor operation. The fuel handling area 104 also contains subcritical fuel outside the reactor core, preventing fuel damage and contamination. Furthermore, the fuel handling area 104 may include equipment for moving fuel pins and fuel assemblies, such as for reloading fuel into the reactor core.

[0050] A steam generator 108 is coupled to the reactor area and parts of the nuclear island. In some cases, the steam generator 108 is located within a containment area 106 and supplies superheated steam to a steam turbine 110. The steam generator 108 receives thermal output from the reactor and transfers thermal energy to the steam turbine 110, which converts the steam energy into mechanical energy. In some facilities, radioactive water passes through the steam turbine 110 but must be kept within a radiologically controlled area of ​​the nuclear power plant. The steam turbine 110 is then mechanically coupled to a generator 112, which converts the mechanical energy from the steam turbine 110 into electricity.

[0051] A fuel pin inspection area 114 may be located on-site for conducting post-irradiation inspection ("PIE") and analysis. The fuel pin inspection area 114 is often adjacent to a fuel handling area 104 to share competitive fuel handling equipment. The fuel pin inspection area 114 may further include a hot cell for accumulating and inspecting irradiated fuel pins.

[0052] As shown in Figure 1, the containment area 106 may be required to encompass the reactor area 102, as well as the fuel handling area 104. In some cases, the building of the steam generator 108 and its associated equipment are outside the containment area 106, but in many cases, they are required to be inside the containment area 106. One or more coolant loops are used to transfer heat from the reactor area 102 to a cooling fluid via heat exchangers, which not only cools the reactor core but also transports heat from outside the containment area to the building of the steam generator 108. Often, the primary coolant loop receives heat from the reactor core via a primary heat exchanger and transfers the thermal energy to the secondary coolant loop via a secondary heat exchanger. Often, the coolant in the primary coolant loop is radioactive. Many reactors currently in use rely on water under pressure as both a coolant and a neutron moderator. The primary coolant typically undergoes a phase change from liquid to steam as it absorbs thermal energy from the reactor core and then transfers that thermal energy to the secondary loop.

[0053] The coolant in the secondary loop, which may be water, receives heat from the primary coolant loop and undergoes a phase change from liquid to steam, which is used to drive the steam generator. This superheated steam is typically under high pressure, which requires that safety measures be in place to contain the high-pressure and high-temperature steam in case of failure.

[0054] In some examples, the primary and / or secondary coolant may be another material, such as molten metal. For example, in some fast reactors, molten metals such as liquid sodium are used as coolants. In other examples, molten salts may be used as coolants. Both molten metals and molten salts have low vapor pressures even at high temperatures and are therefore capable of transferring heat at pressures lower than those at which water is possible at similar temperatures.

[0055] A nuclear power plant 100 is typically protected by a site boundary 120, which may include a security boundary such as a tall fence with laser wires. The nuclear power plant 100 and its associated buildings, structures, systems, pipes, etc., can be referred to as the reactor site, which is located within the reactor site boundary 120. Among other measures, additional security measures such as gates at all access points, guards at access points, surveillance cameras, motion detectors, and / or electrified fences are typically used to protect the reactor site.

[0056] Nuclear power plants are also required to have an Emergency Planning Zone ("EPZ") necessary to prepare for a major accident at the nuclear power plant. In many cases, the EPZ will encompass a radius of 10 miles from the nuclear power plant.

[0057] As shown in Figure 2, the reactor area 202 and the fuel handling area 204 are located within a containment area 206 containing a containment structure. These two main buildings, along with the control room, constitute the nuclear island. Compared to the typical nuclear power plant shown in Figure 1, it can be seen that the steam generators, steam turbines, generators, and fuel pin inspection area are no longer on the nuclear island. Rather, these components are installed away from the nuclear island. The illustrated reactor area 202 is configured as a nuclear thermal plant 200, designed and operated to generate heat (as opposed to electricity in a typical nuclear power plant). In the illustrated configuration, the thermal storage system 208 is located away from the nuclear island and receives thermal energy from the nuclear thermal plant 200. Note that the thermal energy generated by the nuclear thermal plant 200 is transported away from the nuclear island, often beyond the site boundary 210, and even beyond the EPZ.

[0058] One direct advantage of this configuration is that the thermal storage 208 and power generation 212 facilities are outside the scope of nuclear regulations. This allows the nuclear thermal plant 200 to be constructed and licensed far more efficiently than would be possible with the installation of a nuclear power plant.

[0059] The reactor shown in Figure 2 may be any suitable type of reactor. For example, the reactor may include, but is not limited to, a thermal-spectrum reactor, a fast-spectrum reactor, a multispectrum reactor, a breeder reactor, or a traveling-wave reactor. The thermal energy generated by the reactor can be transferred to a heat storage system using the energy transfer system 214.

[0060] In some embodiments, a reactor can utilize fuel that does not require heavy equipment for handling the fuel, such as for reloading fuel pins or refueling the reactor. Therefore, in these embodiments, the fuel handling area 204 may be much smaller than that required for moving fuel pins and fuel assemblies in and out of the reactor core. Such reactors may include, among other things, pool reactors or molten salt reactors. One advantage of this type of reactor is that the fuel handling area 204 may be much smaller, and therefore the nuclear island and / or containment area 206 may be smaller than that typically required by reactors utilizing fuel pins and fuel assemblies, and thus require heavy equipment for their handling and operation.

[0061] In some embodiments, the reactor may include a reactor having a liquid coolant. For example, the liquid coolant of the reactor may include, but is not limited to, a liquid metal or salt coolant (e.g., uranium chloride, uranium trichloride, uranium tetrachloride, lithium fluoride, beryllium fluoride, or other chloride or fluoride salts), a liquid metal coolant (e.g., sodium, NaK, other sodium alloys, lead, or lead-bismuth), a liquid organic coolant (e.g., diphenyl with diphenyl oxide), or a liquid water coolant.

[0062] In another embodiment, the reactor may include a reactor having a pressurized gas coolant. For example, the pressurized gas coolant may include, but is not limited to, pressurized helium gas or pressurized carbon dioxide gas.

[0063] In another embodiment, the reactor may include a reactor having a mixed-phase coolant. For example, the mixed-phase coolant may include, but is not limited to, a gas-liquid mixed-phase substance (e.g., water vapor-liquid water).

[0064] The thermal storage system 208 may include any suitable thermal storage plant, whether currently known or to be developed later. In one embodiment, the thermal storage system can store thermal energy in the range of 500°C or higher. In one example, the thermal storage system stores energy at 550°C, 600°C, 700°C, and 750°C or higher. In one example, the thermal storage system 208 is designed to store thermal energy at 1000°C or higher. In one embodiment, the thermal storage system 208 has multiple thermal storage bodies that store thermal energy at different temperatures.

[0065] The thermal storage system 208 is thermally connected to the reactor by an energy transfer system 214. The energy transfer system 214 receives thermal energy from the primary heat exchanger associated with the reactor. For example, the reactor primary coolant passes through the primary heat exchanger, transferring thermal energy from the reactor core to the energy transfer system 214, thus cooling the primary coolant and transferring thermal energy to the energy transfer system 214. The energy transfer system 214 can be considered a secondary coolant loop designed to receive thermal energy from the primary coolant loop and transport that thermal energy to the thermal storage system 208.

[0066] For example, the first part of the energy transfer system 214 may be in thermal communication with a part of the primary coolant loop of the reactor, and the second part of the energy transfer system 214 may be in thermal communication with the heat storage system 208.

[0067] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a combination of heat exchange loops, heat exchangers, and heat pipes may be used to supply heat from the reactor to the energy transfer system 214 and to the thermal storage system 208. For example, the primary heat exchange loop of the reactor can be thermally coupled to the energy transfer system 214 using a primary heat exchanger containing a number of heat pipes. Alternatively, the energy transfer system 214 can be thermally coupled to the thermal storage system 208 using a second heat exchanger that can also contain a number of heat pipes. In this way, the thermal energy generated by the reactor can be transferred to the thermal storage system 208. The energy transfer system 214 may utilize a liquid metal, salt, or some other working fluid to facilitate heat transport. Alternatively, the energy transfer system 214 may be in direct thermal communication with the storage medium of the thermal storage system 208, such as at a location where the storage medium can move from the thermal storage system 208 and enter the first heat exchanger in the reactor vessel.

[0068] The power generation system 212 is downstream of the thermal storage system and can be thermally connected to the thermal storage system 208. The result of this type of configuration is that the nuclear island is isolated from the power generation system 212. In other words, a failure occurring in the equipment associated with the power generation system 212 or the thermal storage system 208 will not immediately affect the reactor. In traditional reactor systems, failures in equipment associated with the power generation system 212 often cause an automatic and immediate shutdown of the reactor core. This is generally provided as a safety feature to avoid problems caused by excess heat generation without sufficient heat transfer capacity to remove excess heat from the reactor system.

[0069] In some cases, the thermal storage system 208 has a greater thermal energy capacity than the thermal power output of the reactor is designed to produce. For example, the thermal storage system 208 may be designed to supply 1200 MWth of energy, while the reactor may be designed and operated to output 400 MWth of energy. This allows the thermal storage system 208 to store surplus energy beyond what the reactor supplies and to supply this energy to the power plant 212 as needed. For example, when the load demand to the thermal storage system 208 is lower than the output of the reactor, the thermal storage system 208 is charged with additional thermal energy. During periods of high demand when the load demand to the thermal storage system 208 is greater than the output of the reactor, the thermal storage system 208 is discharged.

[0070] As further shown in Figure 2, a power plant 212 is coupled to the thermal storage system 208. The power plant 212 can be any power plant 212 that is currently known or will be developed later. In one embodiment, the power plant 212 receives thermal energy from the thermal storage system 208 and converts the thermal energy into electricity.

[0071] In some cases, thermal energy can be passed through a steam generator to produce high-temperature, high-pressure steam, which can then be used to drive a steam turbine. The steam turbine, in turn, drives a generator, which converts the mechanical work of the steam turbine into electricity, which, as is well known, can be supplied to the power grid.

[0072] In another example, thermal energy from the thermal storage system 208 can be sent to a solid-state power generator that directly converts heat into electricity without requiring the generation of steam or the conversion of thermal energy into mechanical work. Such systems are currently under development, and the disclosed embodiments are well suited to be coupled to future power plants that require heat for power generation.

[0073] The thermal storage system 208 is thermally connected to the power generation system 212 by any suitable means. For example, an energy supply system 216 can be provided to supply thermal energy from the thermal storage system 208 to the power generation system 212. For example, the energy supply system 216 may include a fluid loop having a first part that is thermally connected to the thermal storage system 208 by a heat exchanger or the like, and a second part that is thermally connected to the power generation system 212 by another heat exchanger or the like. The heat exchanger may be any suitable heat exchanger, but is not limited to, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a double-pipe heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, a condenser, an evaporator, a boiler, or a combination of one or more different types of heat exchangers.

[0074] The illustrated configuration and application of the thermal storage system 208 allow the reactor to be isolated from power conversion applications. This offers several advantages. For example, the reactor is no longer affected by transient events from outside the site boundary 210 that could cause errors in the rest of the plant. These types of malfunctions can be handled without the need to shut down the reactor. In conventional nuclear power plants, plant transient events lead to reactor errors, which are economic and safety concerns. These transient events can be caused by malfunctions in the rest of the plant's systems, such as malfunctioning components in the steam generator, steam turbine, or some other auxiliary components, which can shut down the reactor. With respect to the nuclear thermal plant 200, these issues are no longer a concern because the reactor is isolated from the rest of the plant's systems. The power generation system 212, the thermal storage system 208, or the reactor system can all be safely shut down for maintenance, etc., without affecting other systems.

[0075] For example, the reactor system can be shut down and taken offline while the thermal storage system 208 continues to supply thermal energy to the power generation system 212, which continues to supply electricity. Similarly, the power generation system 212 can be shut down or operated at reduced output while the reactor system continues to generate thermal energy and essentially continues to charge the thermal storage system 208 with heat. In one embodiment, the reactor system is operated at full capacity, and thermal energy is transferred to the thermal storage system 208, which is completely independent of the load on the power generation system 212. The load on the power generation system 212 tends to fluctuate throughout the day, week, month, and season, while the reactor system can operate continuously at full capacity regardless of the load.

[0076] Furthermore, in nuclear thermal plants utilizing sodium-cooled reactors, safety is increased because, as explained, moving the steam generation system to a remote location eliminates little to no risk of water from the steam cycle interacting with the sodium used in the reactor.

[0077] In traditional nuclear power plants, the intercoolant loop transfers thermal energy from the reactor's primary coolant loop to the steam generator and, being close to the reactor core, is exposed to radiation of this type, which degrades the construction materials. For example, certain metals can become brittle due to radiation hardening, which reduces their toughness and makes them susceptible to brittle fracture. In the configuration described, the intercoolant loop is moved away from the reactor (or eliminated entirely), and this intercoolant loop can be made of materials that are easier to supply and manufacture, and therefore cheaper and more readily available.

[0078] As illustrated, the thermal storage system 208 and the power generation system 212 are located outside the site boundary 210 of the nuclear thermal plant 200. Specifically, the nuclear thermal plant 200 is located within the site boundary 210, such as a protective fence, and all equipment within the site boundary is subject to strict nuclear regulations. If the rest of the plant's systems, such as the thermal storage system 208 and the power generation system 212, are located far outside the site boundary 210, the regulations on these systems are significantly reduced, making construction, licensing, and operation much more efficient. These remaining plant systems may also be located outside the EPZ.

[0079] In one embodiment, the nuclear thermal plant 200 may include an intrinsically safe reactor, and the EPZ may be sized to coincide with the site boundary 210. In other examples, the EPZ may be sized to lie within the site boundary 210. In either case, locating the rest of the plant system outside the reactor site boundary 210 offers numerous advantages in terms of safety, efficiency, and speed of construction and licensing.

[0080] Furthermore, in the described configuration, the nuclear thermal plant 200 is load-following. Load following is the concept of adjusting power output as electricity demand fluctuates throughout the day. Traditional nuclear power plants typically operate at full output at all times and generally do not fluctuate their output power. In the described configuration, the nuclear thermal plant 200 can operate at full output, which can be designed to meet the base load requirements of the power grid. The base load of the power grid is the minimum level of demand over a period of time. This demand can be met by continuous power plants, rapid-fire power plants (e.g., for on-demand power systems), a collection of smaller intermittent energy sources, or a combination of energy sources. The remainder of the demand fluctuates throughout the day and can be met by rapid-fire power plants that can be quickly turned up or down, such as load-following power plants, peaking power plants, or energy storage.

[0081] The thermal energy output from the nuclear thermal plant 200 is stored in the thermal storage system 208 and supplied to the power generation system 212 as needed. In other words, the nuclear thermal plant 200 can charge its thermal storage at a nearly constant rate, and the thermal storage system 208 can supply thermal energy to the power generation system 212 to generate power that follows the electrical load demand from the power grid. Therefore, the nuclear thermal plant 200 can not only meet the base load requirements but also provide load-following capability while operating continuously at full or near full output.

[0082] Furthermore, the thermal storage system can be larger than the size configured to be supplied by the nuclear thermal plant 200, so that the nuclear thermal plant 200 can "charge" the thermal storage system during periods of non-peak electricity demand. In many load-following power plants, the plant operates between day and night, directly responding to changing power demands. The power plant can shut down in the evening or at night when demand is low and then restart as demand increases during the day. In the configuration described, the nuclear thermal plant 200 can operate continuously, and the thermal energy generated can be stored until needed for power generation or for some other purpose. In some examples, the nuclear thermal plant 200 may generate less thermal energy than needed to meet peak load demand, but can charge the thermal storage system during non-peak usage times, so that the overall energy output from the nuclear thermal plant 200 can supply base load and peak load demands over time.

[0083] In another example, the nuclear thermal plant 200 can produce more energy than is needed to meet base load demand. For instance, the nuclear thermal plant 200 can produce enough thermal energy to meet base load demand, plus surplus thermal energy to meet peak load demand, and also supply additional thermal energy for other industrial purposes.

[0084] Referring to Figure 3, a nuclear thermal plant 200 including a thermogenerating reactor 302 is shown. The reactor 302 is thermally connected to a thermal storage system 304. The thermal storage system 304 is thermally connected to an energy conversion system 306 which is connected to an external load 308.

[0085] The thermogenerative reactor 302 can be any suitable type of reactor currently known or to be developed in the future, such as a fission reactor or a fusion reactor. Such suitable reactors include, but are not limited to, fast neutron reactors, thermal neutron reactors, heavy water reactors, light water-moderated reactors, molten salt reactors, liquid metal-cooled reactors, organic-moderated reactors, water-cooled reactors, gas-cooled reactors, and breeder burn reactors. Furthermore, the thermogenerative reactor 302 can comprise any suitable size reactor, such as a small modular reactor, a micro-reactor, or even a gigawatt-sized reactor or larger. Additionally, one or more reactors (which may be of the same type or different types and sizes) may be utilized in the integrated energy conversion system.

[0086] The reactor site boundary 310 is a physical barrier surrounding the nuclear thermal plant 200 and is designed to secure the reactor 302. Often, the site boundary 310 surrounds a nuclear island, which can be much smaller than a typical nuclear thermal plant, as described above in conjunction with the embodiments described above. The thermal storage system 304 is located outside the reactor site boundary 310. As described, the thermal storage system 304 can be any suitable type of thermal storage system 304 and any suitable type of thermal storage medium can be used. For example, the thermal storage medium may be a eutectic solution, a phase change material, a miscible gap alloy, or a mixture of metals (e.g., AlSi 12This may include cement-based materials, molten salts (e.g., chloride salts, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, NaKMg, or NaKMg-Cl), solid or molten silicon, or combinations thereof or other materials.

[0087] In some examples, the heat storage medium is also used as the heat transfer fluid in the energy transfer system 312 and / or the energy supply system 314. In this way, the energy transfer system 312 may be in fluid communication with the energy conversion system 306, and the heat transfer fluid of the energy transfer system 312 may directly interact with the heat storage medium of the heat storage system 304. Similarly, in some examples, the energy supply system 314 may use the same heat transfer fluid as the heat storage medium of the heat storage system 304. In some cases, the heat storage system 304 may be in direct fluid contact with the energy supply system 314.

[0088] The thermal storage system 304 is thermally connected to the reactor 302 by an energy transfer system 312, which can be thermally coupled to the reactor 302 by a heat exchanger. The energy transfer system 312 typically transfers thermal energy to the thermal storage system 304 via an insulated conduit, where the thermal energy is stored until needed.

[0089] The thermal storage system 304 is thermally connected to the energy conversion system 306 by an energy supply system 314, etc. The energy conversion system 306 may be any suitable type of currently known or later developed technology that can convert thermal energy into another form of useful energy. In one example, the energy conversion system 306 converts steam into mechanical work using a steam turbine that may operate in a Rankine cycle. Often, the steam is sent through a steam turbine that rotates the shaft of a generator to produce electricity.

[0090] The energy supply system 314 can be any suitable combination of heat transfer devices. In some cases, one or more heat exchangers are associated with the thermal storage system 304 and the energy conversion system 306, respectively. The working fluid located within the energy supply system 314 (such as a fluid loop) receives thermal energy from the thermal storage system 304 in one or more heat exchangers associated with the thermal storage system 304 and supplies thermal energy to the energy conversion system 306 in one or more heat exchangers associated with the energy conversion system. The energy supply system 314 can use any suitable working fluid as described herein.

[0091] The energy conversion system 306 can be coupled to an external load 308 by an energy transmission system 316. The external load may be the public power grid. The energy conversion system 306 can send the generated electricity to the power grid by high-voltage transmission lines, etc., which carry the electricity from the energy conversion system to the demand center. In particular, the energy conversion system 306 is located away from the reactor 302, often outside the reactor site boundary 310, and often outside the EPZ as well. As described, the reactor 302 is isolated from the energy conversion system 306, and any failure in the energy conversion system 306 will not negatively affect the reactor 302, nor will it have a negative impact on the reactor 302. In fact, even if the reactor 302 is shut down, for example for maintenance or refueling, the thermal storage system 304 can continue to supply thermal energy to the energy conversion system 306 in order to supply power to the external load.

[0092] The relatively low cost of the thermal storage system 304 for the nuclear thermal plant 200 is advantageous for scaling up the thermal storage system 304 and scaling down the nuclear thermal plant 200. Furthermore, when low-pressure heat transport (e.g., molten salt as a heat transport medium) is used, the relatively high-cost energy converter 306 can be installed remotely from the nuclear thermal plant 200, in which case the converter can be constructed more efficiently and without the restrictions that would be necessary if it were built on the reactor site. As used in this disclosure, the term “low pressure” is used to refer to a pressure of less than approximately 3.5 MPa.

[0093] In addition, if there is no high-pressure system coupled to the reactor 302 (e.g., exceeding approximately 3.5 MPa), the EPZ can be minimized and the heat transport distance can be shortened. In some examples, the thermal storage system 304 may be installed in a location adjacent to the reactor site but outside the site boundary 310. This minimizes the heat transport distance while keeping the thermal storage system 304 and the energy conversion system 306 outside the reactor site boundary 310 and outside the scope of nuclear regulations.

[0094] Referring to Figure 4, the reactor 302 may be similar to the reactor in Figure 3, and may be coupled to the thermal storage system 304, which may be substantially similar to the thermal storage system 304 in Figure 3. The reactor 302 may also be coupled to an auxiliary thermal storage system 402. In some examples, the thermal storage system 304 may optionally be thermally coupled to the auxiliary thermal storage system 402. The reactor 302 can be configured to transport thermal energy to the thermal storage system 304, the auxiliary thermal storage system 402, or both.

[0095] The heat storage system 304 is coupled to the energy conversion system 306, as described herein. The energy conversion system 306 is coupled to an external load 308, which may be any load such as an electrical load or a thermal load.

[0096] The auxiliary heat storage system 402 may be located outside the reactor site boundary 310 as shown in the figure, and in some cases, it may be located inside the reactor site boundary 310. In one embodiment, its function is to control the return to the reactor 302 and the core inlet fluid temperature. in T is expected to in If there is a difference between the expected and actual temperatures, the reactor control system may initiate changes to the reactivity to compensate for the temperature difference. For example, if the core inlet temperature is higher than expected, the reactor control system may reduce the reactivity to compensate for the higher-than-expected inlet temperature.

[0097] The auxiliary heat storage 402 may be dedicated to the reactor and may be used to control and / or stabilize the core inlet temperature. For example, the auxiliary heat storage 402 can be in thermal communication with the primary coolant loop in the reactor vessel. The primary coolant fluid is expected to reach T in When the primary coolant has a different temperature, the auxiliary heat storage 402 can interact with the primary coolant loop to add or remove heat from the primary coolant. When the primary coolant interacts with the working fluid of the auxiliary heat storage, the effect is that the primary coolant reaches thermal equilibrium with the auxiliary heat storage fluid. By controlling the primary coolant temperature, the reactivity within the reactor core is stabilized and any spontaneous fluctuations are smoothed out.

[0098] In one example, the auxiliary thermal storage system 402 is in direct thermal communication with the reactor 302 by transferring a portion of the reactor's thermal energy to the auxiliary thermal storage system 402. In another example, the auxiliary thermal storage system 402 is in thermal communication with the thermal storage system 304, and a portion of the thermal energy from the thermal storage system 304 is transferred to the auxiliary thermal storage system 402 for use in adjusting the reactor core inlet temperature.

[0099] Those skilled in the art will readily understand how to connect these various systems to one another through thermal communication and how to use these systems to regulate the core inlet temperature.

[0100] Referring to Figure 5, a nuclear thermal plant 500 is shown that is substantially as described above. In particular, some reactor designs do not require reliance on heavy fuel assembly handling equipment. For example, in pool reactors such as molten salt reactors, there are no fuel pins or fuel assemblies that need to be stored, moved, inserted, or removed from the reactor core. As a result, the fuel handling area 204 can be significantly smaller than that of a traditional nuclear power plant. Furthermore, many reactor designs that rely on diffusion-tolerant fuel cycles, such as breeder and burn reactors or molten salt reactors, do not require a fuel handling area within the containment area. In these embodiments, the containment area 206 may be much smaller and may contain only the reactor and smaller subsystems of the reactor. This results in a significantly smaller containment area 206, which leads to lower costs for construction, licensing, and operation.

[0101] In addition, a smaller containment area 206 results in a smaller footprint for the site boundary 310. Furthermore, in an inherently safe reactor design, the site boundary 210 can be minimized, and the EPZ can also be minimized. In some cases, the EPZ boundary coincides with the reactor site boundary 210, or in some cases, the EPZ is within the site boundary 210. This allows the heat storage system 208 and / or the power generation system 212 to be located outside the site boundary 210, while being located relatively close to the site boundary 210, thereby reducing the heat transfer distance of the energy transfer system 214.

[0102] As shown in the figure, the thermal storage system 208 may be in thermal communication with one or more loads 510. For example, the thermal storage system 208 can, among other things, supply thermal energy for industrial heating 512, district heating 514, or power generation 212.

[0103] The applications of industrial heat 512 are diverse and require heat at various temperatures. Industrial heat applications can include fluid heating for food preparation, chemical product manufacturing, reforming, distillation, and hydrogenation, requiring temperatures in the range of approximately 110°C to approximately 460°C. Similarly, curing and forming processes for coating, polymer manufacturing, enamel, extrusion, etc., require heat in the range of approximately 140°C to approximately 650°C. Other processes include iron formation, smelting, and steelmaking, as well as the manufacture of plastics and rubber. This industrial heat can be supplied by the heat storage system 208 as needed, in the quality and quantity required for the specific industrial heat 512.

[0104] District heating 514 is a distribution system for supplying heat from a central heat source through a system of insulated pipes, such as for commercial and residential heating applications (e.g., local heating and hot water). This heat is generally in a lower temperature range and can be supplied by a thermal storage system 208 as needed.

[0105] As already discussed, the thermal energy storage system 208 can be coupled to the power plant 212, which can use the thermal energy of the thermal energy storage system 208 to generate electricity. The power plant 212 can generate electricity on demand and load-follow the demand from the power grid. Often, the power plant 212 will generate waste heat, i.e., heat that is not used for power generation. This may be in the form of steam after passing through a steam turbine. This so-called waste heat may be recycled, for example, to supply district heating, which typically has lower temperature requirements than the applications of power plant 212 or industrial heat 512. Similarly, waste heat from industrial heat 512 applications can be captured and / or recycled to supply heat for other uses such as district heating, or it can be returned to the thermal energy storage system 208.

[0106] In one embodiment, the thermal storage system 208 can supply thermal energy to all required loads simultaneously. This can be achieved by scaling the thermal storage to a size that can supply the thermal power demand from all expected loads. The loads are variable, i.e., district heating 514 has a higher demand when the ambient temperature is colder, and power generation 212, such as for households, increases during the day and decreases at night. Therefore, the thermal storage system 208 can be set and configured to a size that supplies all the requirements of the required loads 510.

[0107] The thermal storage system 208 may include multiple storage facilities linked to one another. These storage facilities may contain the same or different thermal storage media and be maintained at different temperatures better suited to different heat loads. For example, some industrial heat applications 512 require temperatures above 800°C. In these cases, one or more individual storage facilities may store thermal energy above 800°C for supply to these high-temperature loads. Similarly, one or more individual storage facilities may supply relatively low-temperature thermal energy, such as 100°C to 300°C, to loads requiring lower temperatures. Of course, individual storage facilities may utilize different thermal storage media specifically designed to operate within the desired temperature range.

[0108] For example, a high-temperature storage facility may use a molten salt as a heat storage medium, which may be formulated to be thermally stable up to 1000°C or higher. A low-temperature storage facility has a high heat capacity (approximately 4.2 J / cm²). 3 Water can be used as a heat storage medium for (K).

[0109] Figure 6 illustrates various industrial heat applications in which a thermal storage system can supply the required thermal energy. As shown in the figure, district heating requires a temperature of approximately 50°C. This can be supplied by a thermal storage system that compensates for the efficiency of heat transfer by having a thermal storage medium that is stable at approximately 50°C, the thermal storage medium can be maintained at a temperature higher than the required temperature, and the heat exchanger can be in thermal communication with the district heating working fluid, which can be air, water, oil, or any other suitable working fluid, for a predetermined time sufficient to heat the working fluid to the desired temperature sufficient for district heating.

[0110] Most nuclear reactors operating today operate at temperatures in the lower half of the diagram, or below approximately 300°C. These reactors are thought to be able to store thermal energy at temperatures up to approximately 300°C, making them suitable for many lower-temperature thermal load applications, including power generation.

[0111] However, for higher temperature thermal applications (e.g., above 300°C), traditional water-cooled nuclear power plants cannot generate temperatures in this range. However, there are reactors designed to operate at around 500°C–550°C, which is suitable for supplying thermal energy up to their operating temperature. Other reactors are designed to operate at 750°C–800°C, providing heat in this range suitable for higher-temperature industrial applications. Even further reactors can operate at temperatures above 1000°C, suitable for supplying extremely high heat for industrial purposes. Fusion reactors, which are promised to operate at hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius, can supply even higher thermal energy than fission reactors.

[0112] Referring to Figure 7, an integrated energy system 700 is shown, in which a thermal energy storage system 702 is supplied with thermal energy from various heat sources. The thermal energy storage system 702 can be substantially the same as those described herein. One or more reactors 704, 706, 708 can be thermally connected to the thermal energy storage system 702. For example, when constructing the integrated energy system 700, a single, first reactor 704 may be constructed using existing reactor technology at the time, as shown in the figure. The thermal energy storage system 702 can be coupled to an energy conversion system 710 that converts thermal energy into electricity and supplies the electricity to an external load, etc.

[0113] In some cases, a second reactor 706, a third reactor 708, or more reactors can be coupled to a common thermal energy storage system 702. In some embodiments, one or more thermal energy sources, which may be a number of reactors, a wind energy system 712, a solar energy system 714, a geothermal energy system, or any combination of thermal energy sources, can be combined and coupled to the thermal energy storage system 7002 as part of an integrated energy system 700. The thermal energy sources supply thermal energy to the thermal energy storage system 702 via any suitable technology and components, which may differ for different thermal energy sources. In some cases, the thermal energy storage system 702 utilizes a working fluid for storing thermal energy, which may be the same working fluid used as a heat transfer fluid to supply thermal energy from the thermal energy sources to the thermal energy storage system 702.

[0114] As base load electricity demand increases over time, the thermal energy storage system 702 can be scaled up to increase its thermal energy storage capacity. Similarly, reactors can also be scaled, upgraded to utilize various technologies, or become additional reactors added as heat sources and coupled to the common thermal energy storage system 702. As an example, a sodium fast reactor can be constructed and coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702. As demand from external loads 716 increases, or as reactor technology advances to its technological readiness level, another reactor can be constructed and coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702. As an example, a molten salt reactor, a small modular reactor, a sodium pool reactor, or any other type of reactor can be constructed and coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702 in addition to, or instead of, the existing reactors coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702.

[0115] In many cases, multiple reactors can be constructed, each having its own reactor vessel, head, and site boundary, and everything beyond the site boundary can be common to multiple reactors. Of course, the reactors can be coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702 using pipes and valves. The energy supply system can use common or different heat transfer media to couple the reactors to the thermal energy storage system 702. By utilizing common components of the rest of the plant, such as a common thermal energy storage system 702, a common steam plant, a common heat transport, and a common energy conversion system 710, it is more efficient to scale the size of the thermal energy storage system 702 compared to constructing separate nuclear power plants for supplying electricity, each with its own specific requirements for the rest of the plant.

[0116] Having multiple reactors coupled to a common thermal energy storage system 702 offers the additional benefit of easier reactor maintenance. One reactor can be taken offline for maintenance or refueling without shutting down the entire system. In some cases, one or more thermal energy generation systems (e.g., reactors, wind energy system 712, solar thermal energy system 714, geothermal system, etc.) can be disconnected from the thermal energy storage system 702 and the energy conversion system 710, and as a result, one or more thermal energy systems can be taken offline without affecting the rest of the equipment or interrupting the supply of energy to the external load 716.

[0117] In one example, the heat transfer fluid is molten salt throughout the entire energy system, perhaps except for the reactor core, and this can be any of a number of coolants. For example, the energy transfer system 214 that carries thermal energy from the nuclear thermal plant 704 to the thermal energy storage system 702 can utilize molten salt as its working fluid. Similarly, the heat storage medium in the thermal energy storage system 702 may also be the same salt or molten salt as the working fluid of the energy transfer system 214. Furthermore, the energy supply system 216 that transfers heat from the thermal energy storage system 702 to the energy conversion system 710 may also be molten salt. Of course, the molten salt used throughout the entire system may be the same salt, or it may have different formulations specific to their intended use.

[0118] For example, when the thermal energy storage system 702 supplies heat to a district heating load, relatively low temperatures are required, and a salt (or other working fluid) specially formulated to perform well at the required lower temperatures may be used as the working fluid for supplying heat used for district heating.

[0119] In addition, other forms of thermal energy may be coupled to a heat storage system such as solar thermal energy 714 or wind energy 712. Often, the thermal energy storage system 702 is tolerant of thermal energy sources and can be coupled to a number of different types of thermal energy generators, such as a number of nuclear thermal plants, solar plants, wind plants, geothermal plants, hydroelectric plants, or other types of heat generation plants.

[0120] Figure 8 shows an exemplary energy system 800 in which multiple thermal energy sources are thermally coupled to a thermal energy storage system 702. The thermal energy sources can be any one or more of the multiple thermal energy systems, such as a reactor thermal plant 704, a solar thermal plant 714, a wind energy plant 712, or other types of thermal energy generation plants, or any combination of thermal energy generation plants.

[0121] The thermal energy plant supplies thermal energy to the thermal energy storage system 702, which stores thermal energy, by any suitable means such as a eutectic solution, a phase change material, a miscible gap alloy, a mixture of metals, a cement-based material, a molten salt (e.g., chloride salts, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, NaKMg, or NaKMg-Cl), solid or molten silicon, or a combination thereof or other materials. In some embodiments, the thermal energy storage system 702 utilizes the same working fluid as the thermal energy transfer fluid that receives thermal energy from one or more of the thermal energy generation plants. In some cases, the thermal energy transfer fluid is the same as the heat storage medium and is in fluid communication with it. In this example, the intermediate heat transfer loop may be omitted in some cases, and the heat storage medium can receive thermal energy directly from the thermal energy generation plants through a single heat transfer loop. The thermal energy plants can be in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system 702 via one or more heat exchangers, but in some embodiments, a separate heat exchanger is used for each thermal energy plant to couple the thermal energy plants to the thermal energy storage system 702. In some cases, this allows for the addition or removal of multiple thermal energy sources from the system 800 as needed.

[0122] In one embodiment, the auxiliary power system 802 can be coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702. The thermal energy storage system 702 can selectively supply thermal energy to the auxiliary power system 802, which uses that thermal energy to generate power, such as to supply electricity to one or more reactors 704, 706, 708. In some cases, the auxiliary power system 802 can provide blackstart capability to one or more reactors. This can provide dedicated power to a reactor when starting it up in the event of a blackout or when electricity from the power grid is unavailable. This further isolates the reactor from the rest of the plant and from the power grid. Of course, the auxiliary power system 802 can supply backup power to any of the thermal energy generation plants, the thermal energy storage system 702, or any other system that benefits from uninterruptible backup power.

[0123] The thermal energy storage system 702 can be thermally coupled to an energy conversion system 710 that can generate energy for an external load, as described above. Often, the external load 716 requires either thermal energy or electricity, either of which can be supplied by the energy conversion system 710. In some cases, the energy conversion system 710 will convert thermal energy into electricity via a steam generator and turbine. However, in some cases, the thermal energy storage system 702 can directly supply compressed and heated gas to the turbine, eliminating the need for a steam generator, which is typically used in turbine power plants.

[0124] As an example, the thermal energy storage system 702 or energy conversion system 710 can use a heat storage medium to heat a working gas, such as nitrogen, argon, or hydrogen. The working gas may be heated and compressed to up to 4 atm, 5 atm, or 6 atm, but in some embodiments it is pressurized to less than 4 atm. The working gas can be heated to 600°C, 650°C, 700°C, 725°C, or 750°C or higher. The working gas can be supplied directly to a turbine, where it can then expand and drive the turbine. In some embodiments, the turbine operates in a Brayton cycle or a regenerative Brayton cycle. The gas pressure ratio can be selected and controlled to improve the efficiency of the Brayton cycle. Of course, other working gases can be used, such as immiscible salts, which vaporize at the operating temperature and can be used to drive the turbine.

[0125] Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the integrated energy system 900, in which a nuclear heat plant 200 supplies thermal energy to the thermal storage system. Although a single nuclear heat plant 200 is illustrated, it should be understood that two or more nuclear heat plants and / or other thermal energy plants can be combined to supply thermal energy to the thermal energy storage system 702. The thermal energy storage system 702 then supplies thermal energy to one or more loads 510, which may include loads of power generation 212, district heating 514, or industrial heat 512. In some cases, the loads 510 may be relatively low for several days or weeks, and the thermal energy storage system 702 may become thermally saturated. That is, the thermal energy storage system 702 may not be able to receive any additional heat from the nuclear heat plant or other connected thermal energy sources. Thus, the thermal energy generated by the thermal energy generation plants can be transferred to several other beneficial auxiliary heat uses 902. In some cases, excess heat is released into the atmosphere, but in other cases, excess heat exceeding what the heat storage system can receive can be used for other processes, particularly, for example, water desalination or hydrogen production. Of course, the auxiliary heat utilization 902 can also be supplied with thermal energy even when the heat storage system is not saturated. For example, thermal energy from a thermal energy source may be supplied to the thermal energy storage system 702 and at the same time used for the auxiliary heat utilization 902.

[0126] These auxiliary heat utilization systems 902 can receive a portion of the thermal energy before it is supplied to the thermal energy storage system 702, or they can selectively receive all of the generated thermal energy, for example, when the heat storage system is full, or when auxiliary heat utilization 902 is considered a higher and better purpose for the thermal energy than storing the thermal energy for later use.

[0127] In one embodiment, the thermal energy storage system 702 is located at a height above the power generation system 212. For example, the thermal energy storage system 702 may be constructed on a hill so as to be at a height higher than the power plant 212. This arrangement utilizes a combined energy storage mode by combining both thermal energy and the pressure due to gravity on the downstream system due to the height change. The combined energy storage mode increases the overall energy density. For example, a typical steam turbine system requires one or more pumps to pump the working fluid through the turbine system. The pumps are generally sized to correspond to the peak load and are selected to meet the peak load demand by pumping the working fluid through the turbine system in a higher volume per unit time. By relying on gravity, the system can deliver additional heat through the steam generator and then to a cold storage tank. In one embodiment, this arrangement can reduce the size required for one or more pumps or eliminate one or more pumps in the steam turbine system.

[0128] In one embodiment, existing containment sites may be suitable for constructing nuclear thermal plants to be coupled with thermal storage systems. Currently, there are numerous reactor sites that are no longer in operation or are scheduled to be decommissioned and cease operations. These sites can be referred to as brownfield sites (vacant lots for redevelopment, existing industrial sites), a nomenclature defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as real estate where the presence or potential presence of hazardous materials, contaminants, or contaminants could complicate expansion, reuse, or development. Decommissioned reactor sites are a type of physical site that falls within the definition of brownfield sites.

[0129] However, reactor brownfield sites offer several advantages to the systems and methods disclosed or described herein. For example, reactor brownfield sites have existing civil work structures such as roads, utilities (e.g., power lines, sewers, water lines, etc.), site boundary security, containment buildings, pipes, valves, and outbuildings. Many of these structures can be reused in nuclear thermal plants, which can significantly reduce the time and cost required for the construction and commissioning of nuclear thermal plants.

[0130] Many reactor brownfield sites have containment structures designed to house high-pressure reactors such as light water reactors ("LWRs"). These containment structures are designed far beyond the containment structures that newer generations of nuclear thermal plants will require, many of which operate at relatively lower pressures compared to LWRs. The thermal energy storage system 702 can be located away from the reactor brownfield site and can be thermally coupled to the nuclear thermal plant, as described herein, for example, via a heat transfer fluid loop. Passages can be created within the containment structure to allow the heat transfer medium to exit the containment structure and transfer thermal energy to the thermal energy storage system 702 located away from the reactor site.

[0131] Existing containment structures can be configured to accommodate one, two, or more nuclear thermal plants. For example, a single containment structure can house multiple reactors sharing the containment structure, fuel handling systems, and other components. A containment structure may be divided into two or more reactor chambers to accommodate multiple reactors and their associated support structures. Two or more reactors may share, among other things, fuel storage areas, subsystems, reactor core fuel supply / removal systems, and fuel polishing systems.

[0132] In some cases, it is desirable to operate the reactor at full power. The systems and methods described herein allow the reactor to remain at continuous full power by separating it from the thermal storage and power generation systems. The reactor can continuously supply thermal energy to the thermal storage system, which can be made large enough to store and supply more energy than the reactor can supply. Thus, the reactor can slowly "charge" the thermal storage system over time. If the reactor generates excess heat that the thermal storage system cannot receive, the excess heat may be transferred and used for auxiliary purposes such as industrial process heat, desalination, hydrogen production, or any other beneficial purpose. Of course, the excess heat may be released into the atmosphere alternatively or additionally.

[0133] Figure 10 shows an exemplary embodiment of an integrated energy system having a nuclear thermal plant 200 coupled to a thermal energy storage system 702. Additional hybrid energy sources 1002, such as wind power, solar power, geothermal power, wave power, or other renewable energy sources, can similarly be coupled to the thermal energy storage system 702. As shown, the nuclear thermal plant 200 is located within the reactor site boundary 210 and EPZ, while the remaining systems, such as the thermal energy storage system 702 and the power conversion system 212, are located outside the reactor site boundary 210 and EPZ.

[0134] The traditional use of nuclear power plants is power generation. However, many newer fourth-generation nuclear power plants are designed to have outlet temperatures exceeding 500°C, significantly higher than those of light water reactors (LWRs). Thus, the potential applicability of this high-grade heat extends far beyond power generation. In the illustrated structure, reactor 200 is used as a heat source to be delivered to a separate thermal energy storage system 702 located outside the reactor site boundary 210. In addition to being carbon-free, or at least having low carbon emissions, combined with the diffusion prevention properties of newer reactors, the structure of this integrated energy system 1000 enables many beneficial features, including (1) reduced reactor and total system costs, (2) flexible power demand (load) following and "profit following" in the power grid with greater penetration of renewable energy, (3) supplying high-temperature process heat at a cost competitive with natural gas, which is not currently possible with LWRs, and (4) enabling hydrogen production by high-temperature electrolysis.

[0135] These capabilities will enable dramatic carbon reductions in the industrial processes and transportation sectors, which currently account for approximately 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

[0136] One of the current obstacles facing nuclear power plants is the upfront investment in construction and licensing costs associated with their construction and commissioning. One of the major cost factors in nuclear power plant construction is not the nuclear technology itself, but rather the cost of the large-scale construction project regulated by stringent nuclear standards. Therefore, one of the greatest promises of capital cost reduction is not necessarily technological advancements in the reactor itself, but rather the plant design. As described herein, by greatly simplifying and reducing the scope and complexity of the construction project within the reactor site, the major cost factors associated with constructing a typical nuclear power plant are dramatically reduced. In the various structural embodiments described herein, the scope of the nuclear power plant and reactor construction project is reduced to its most basic form. The simplified reactor becomes a producer of thermal energy, and is referred to here as a nuclear thermal plant.

[0137] In one embodiment, the interface between the nuclear thermal plant and the rest of the integrated energy system is a heat exchanger, and the remaining system components downstream of the heat exchanger are functionally and spatially isolated from the nuclear thermal plant. In this structure, the thermal energy storage and the rest of the plant, including the power conversion system, are constructed and operated in a less regulated, less expensive, and fully commercialized environment.

[0138] Molten salt thermal storage systems are relatively inexpensive, often an order of magnitude cheaper than battery storage, and have achieved commercial readiness on a GWh scale. Suitable thermal storage systems are currently being used to support the concentrated solar power industry. Furthermore, due to the superior safety advantages of the advanced reactors described herein, very small EPZs are possible, which allows these reactors to be placed closer to the heat consumers.

[0139] The described integrated energy systems also address other challenges that nuclear power faces in current and future electricity markets. For example, as the proportion of electricity generated by intermittent renewable energy sources increases, there are large fluctuations in electricity supply, typically during the 9 a.m.-4 p.m. time, accompanied by overproduction, and solar energy pushes electricity prices down to very low levels, or even into negative territory. Current nuclear power plants typically have limited flexibility in rapid load following and are sometimes driven to maintain relatively high capacity utilization rates to achieve low levels of cost of electricity (LCOE). Thus, even if nuclear power plants could adapt to the daily fluctuating electricity demand, their LCOE would increase, making it difficult to compete with alternative technologies. Salt thermal storage would allow many types of nuclear thermal plants to operate at 100% capacity utilization (or very close to it), storing energy in thermal energy storage tanks, such as salt tanks, and selling the electricity during periods of high demand and high prices.

[0140] A key consideration in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the extension of decarbonization to other industrial processes. Energy consumption in this sector is enormous, primarily in the form of heat, with petroleum and chemicals being the main consumers. The integrated energy systems described herein, having high outlet temperatures of approximately 510°C to 540°C or higher and heat storage media suitable for these temperatures, offer the opportunity to supply heat to numerous consumers up to approximately 500°C, such as oil refineries, various chemical plants, soda ash production plants, pulp and paper plants, and food processing plants. There is also significant potential for cogeneration power plants that produce both heat and electricity.

[0141] The transportation sector accounts for the second largest share of global energy consumption, after industrial manufacturing. Until recently, transportation relied solely on gasoline fuel, and clean nuclear energy was not involved in this sector. This is changing with the recent arrival of hydrogen-powered, battery- and fuel cell-powered electric vehicles. Integrated energy systems, such as those described herein, can provide both of these products without carbon emissions, significantly impacting the decarbonization of the transportation sector.

[0142] The integrated energy system described herein can produce hydrogen using high-temperature electrolysis and heat. The stored thermal energy can be used to generate steam from water, and hybrid energy such as electricity can be used to raise the temperature in the electrolysis apparatus to 750°C to 900°C, such as through ohmic heating. In one embodiment, a heat exchanger in the electrolysis apparatus can recover heat from the hydrogen and oxygen flows to reduce the amount of ohmic heating energy required to maintain the electrolysis apparatus temperature at a desired temperature or, in some cases, above a threshold temperature. Furthermore, the described integrated energy system can simultaneously generate both electricity, such as charging a car battery, and hydrogen. For example, when electricity is not needed, the generated thermal energy can be used to produce additional hydrogen, which can then be stored for long-distance distribution, similar to what is currently done with gasoline. Unlike GW-scale heat storage, which is limited to periods of a few hours or relatively short transport distances, hydrogen can be stored for much longer periods and is transportable over long distances. Thus, hydrogen can be generated using the integrated energy system, which can be stored for long periods, transported over long distances, and later used as a fuel source.

[0143] In some embodiments, a nuclear thermal plant and an integrated energy system can be coupled, either exclusively or partially, to a hydrogen production plant, which can utilize an electrolytic process that uses electricity to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. In some examples, the integrated energy system can supply thermal power to the generated steam for use in hydrogen steam reforming in a natural gas process. In some cases, a high-temperature electrolysis process is a process in which a large amount of electrolytic energy can be supplied by heat, thereby reducing the amount of electrical energy and thus reducing the cost of producing hydrogen. In some cases, a high-temperature electrolysis process utilizes thermal energy having a temperature of about 800°C, which can be supplied by an integrated energy system such as those described herein.

[0144] Figure 11 shows an integrated energy system 1100 having a nuclear block 1102 in communication with an integrated energy storage block 1104. The integrated energy storage block 1104 then communicates with a power block 1106. The power block 1106 can communicate with an external load 1108. According to one embodiment, the nuclear block 1102 comprises one or more reactors, such as nuclear thermal plants, having a reactor site boundary 1110 surrounding a nuclear island, as described herein. One or more nuclear thermal plants may be included as part of the nuclear block 1102, or one or more nuclear thermal plants may be coupled to the integrated energy storage block 1104 and maintain their own separate reactor site boundary 1110. The integrated energy storage block 1104 may consist of any suitable heat storage as described herein, and may include, for example, a salt tank that relies on a phase-change material to store thermal energy at a stable temperature in order to receive thermal energy from the nuclear block. The integrated energy storage block 1104, also referred to herein as a thermal storage system or thermal energy storage system, is separated from the nuclear block 1102 by a boundary 1112, which may be defined by the reactor site boundary 1110. In some examples, the primary communication (transfer) between the nuclear block 1102 and the integrated energy storage block 1104 is one or more heat exchangers that transmit the thermal energy generated by the nuclear block 1102 to the integrated energy storage block 1104.

[0145] The integrated energy storage block 1104 is in thermal communication with the power block 1106. Thermal communication may be achieved by one or more heat exchangers configured to transmit thermal energy from the integrated energy storage block 1104 to the power block 1106. The power block 1106 may, for example, convert the thermal energy into electricity, which may be done by a turbine such as a steam turbine, or some other type of thermal-to-electrical energy conversion system. The power block 1106 can utilize the thermal energy to generate electricity and transmit it to an external load 1108, for example, a power grid.

[0146] As the world moves away from coal-fired power plants for a variety of reasons, the equipment of decommissioned coal-fired power plants can be utilized by other energy sources. For example, when a coal-fired power plant is decommissioned, the equipment downstream of the boiler is tolerant of heat sources. For instance, the turbine block, switchyard, capacitors, generators, and electrical wiring can all still be used by another heat energy source. These valuable assets, which become orphan assets when a coal-fired power plant is decommissioned, create an opportunity for another, carbon-free heat energy source to utilize the orphan assets and continue generating electricity.

[0147] According to some embodiments, the coal-fired, remaining power blocks of the plant (e.g., all downstream of the boiler), along with associated piping, instrumentation and control, include equipment such as boiler drums, pendant superheaters, high-pressure turbines, reheaters, intermediate-pressure turbines, low-pressure turbines, condensers, feed pumps, deaerators, feed heaters, economizers, cooling towers, generators, transformers, and power transmission systems. These isolated assets are tolerant of thermal energy sources that may be supplied by integrated energy storage blocks 1104 (e.g., thermal storage systems) as described herein.

[0148] The integrated energy storage block 1104 can receive thermal energy from any of a number of thermal energy sources, such as one or more nuclear thermal plants, solar thermal energy, geothermal energy, wind thermal energy, wave energy, or any other suitable generator of thermal energy. According to one embodiment, the integrated energy storage block 1104 makes it possible to combine any form of thermal energy and make it available for use with any form of power block 1106, providing the further advantage of separating the nuclear block 1102 from the power block 1106.

[0149] This structure offers many advantages. For example, there is regulatory separation between the nuclear block 1102 and all downstream equipment of the integrated energy storage block 1104, and there is flexibility in adapting the nuclear block 1102 to the power block 1106. For instance, the nuclear block 1102 does not need to be adapted to the power block 1106 in terms of power output. The nuclear block 1102 operates at full power, transmitting thermal energy to the integrated energy storage block 1104, which can then supply thermal energy to drive the turbine of the power block 1106 in any suitable manner. Thus, the operation of the power block 1106 is completely independent of the operation of the nuclear block 1102.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the nuclear power block 1102 can be operated at 100% capacity, but since the nuclear power block 1102 is isolated from the power block 1106 by the integrated energy storage block 1104, the power block 1106 can fully load-follow the power demand.

[0151] The described structures also offer advantages in design efficiency. It is no longer necessary to adapt a reactor to a specific power block 1106. A general-purpose reactor can be adapted to a general-purpose power block, thereby eliminating the need to develop a new reactor to adapt power to each arbitrary power block. A general-purpose reactor refers to a reactor of any design and power output. A general-purpose power block refers to a thermal-to-electrical energy conversion system of any design, size, type, and power output, including, for example, a steam generator.

[0152] In one embodiment, the integrated energy storage block 1104 is designed to accept the output of the nuclear block 1102 and supply thermal energy according to the requirements of the power block 1106. In one embodiment, the described structure allows for the adaptation of a single reactor design or a combination of multiple reactor designs to the power block 1106. For example, if the power block requires 1600 MWth of steam for the turbine, that requirement can be met by one 1600 MWth reactor, two 800 MWth reactors, one 1200 MWth reactor and one 400 MWth reactor, and so on. In some examples, the integrated energy block 1104 acts as an aggregator from one or more reactor designs, and thus, by relying on the integrated energy block 1104 as a buffer, flexibility, scalability, and temporal independence of the coupling of the power block 1106 to one or more reactors is enabled. This further allows the nuclear block 1102 and the power block 1106 to be completely separate and independent from a design, construction, and operational standpoint. A further advantage is that this structure enables the use of a single reactor design, such as a 400 MWth plant, in conjunction with multiple types of power blocks (e.g., 400 MWth, 800 MWth, 1200 MWth, 1600 MWth, 2000 MWth, 2400 MWth, etc.). In some embodiments, a true mismatch may exist between the nuclear block 1102 and the power block 1106; for example, a reactor block 1102 outputting 1600 MWth may be compatible with a 1500 MWth power block 1106. In other words, the nuclear block 1102 may have a thermal power output, and the power block 1106 may have a thermal power input greater than or less than the thermal power output of the nuclear block 1102. In other words, reactor block 1102 may have a different nameplate capacity than power block 1106. As used herein, the nameplate capacity is the full load sustaining output of the facility.Nameplate capacity is typically a number registered with a regulatory body to classify the power output of a station, and is usually measured in watts, megawatts, or gigawatts. When used to describe power block 1106, nameplate capacity may be used to refer to the power input (power input) to power block 1106, which can be converted to power when power block 1106 is operating at full output.

[0153] This type of non-conformity can be addressed in the manner described herein, to name a few, by scaling the integrated energy storage block by using excess thermal energy for other purposes, by planning nuclear shutdowns while still supplying thermal energy from the integrated energy storage block to the power block, or by allowing the nuclear block 1102 to charge the integrated energy storage block 1104 during times of reduced power demand. In some cases, the power block 1106 can be operationally scaled back to a power output lower than 100% capacity, while the nuclear block 1102 can operate at 100% operational capacity.

[0154] Similarly, the reactor block 1102 can be coupled to an integrated energy storage block 1104 which has a mismatch between the thermal power generation capacity (capacity) of the nuclear block 1102 and the heat storage capacity (capacity) of the heat storage block 1104. In other words, the nuclear block 1102 may have a generation capacity (capacity) less than the storage capacity (capacity) of the heat storage block. In some cases, the generation capacity of the reactor block may be on the order of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80% of the storage capacity of the heat storage block.

[0155] In some cases, the nuclear block 1102 generates thermal energy at a temperature that may not be ideal for the power block 1106. For example, the nuclear block 1102 may provide an outlet temperature of 500°C, while the power block 1106 may require steam at 550°C. In these cases, the temperature deficit can be compensated for by (1) a Peeker tank that can heat the heat storage medium to a higher temperature, (2) adding additional thermal energy to the steam before it is sent through the turbine, (3) operating the turbine at a lower efficiency, or by utilizing some other solution to address the temperature mismatch.

[0156] In one embodiment, hybrid technology can be used to supplement the thermal energy of the nuclear block 1102. For example, if the power block 1106 requires a higher inlet steam temperature than the nuclear block 1102 can supply, alternative technologies such as ohmic heating, natural gas, hydrogen, or some other energy source can be used to peak the steam temperature and operate the power block 1106 with appropriate efficiency.

[0157] In one embodiment, utilizing an isolated power block 1106 asset in conjunction with a nuclear thermal plant in an integrated energy system 1100 yields numerous benefits. For example, the site is already approved and operational, and the layout is already in place, which allows the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of equipment to be further utilized in carbon-free power generation operations rather than being scrapped, and the site is already connected to the transmission infrastructure and power grid, along with other benefits.

[0158] The above description of combining the nuclear power block 1102 and the integrated energy storage block 1104 with an isolated coal power block 1106 asset is equally applicable to isolated natural gas assets. As gas-fired power plants are decommissioned for a number of different reasons, the power blocks from these plants can be utilized by combining the power block 1106 with the integrated energy storage block 1104, which supplies thermal energy, to drive the turbines of the gas-fired power plants. The integrated energy storage block 1104 can receive thermal energy from any of a number of different sources, such as one or more nuclear reactors, solar thermal energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric energy, or any other suitable thermal energy source.

[0159] In some cases where the power block 1106 requires a temperature higher than the output temperature of the integrated energy storage block 1104, the decommissioned gas-fired power plant would have an available source of natural gas that can be used to raise the temperature of the heat storage medium or turbine working fluid to peak in order to improve the efficiency of the turbine cycle. In addition, although the power block 1106 itself may generate power at a lower efficiency because it is below the optimal inlet steam pressure, it can transfer some of the power it generates to peak the temperature of the inlet steam, and gradually increase its efficiency as the inlet steam rises to a more ideal temperature for the power block.

[0160] In one embodiment, a brownfield site offers an opportunity to utilize isolated equipment by combining it with an integrated energy storage block 1104 and a nuclear block 1102. By utilizing existing infrastructure (core facilities, social production infrastructure) available on a brownfield site, it becomes possible to refurbish and develop sites that would otherwise be difficult to use into carbon-free energy production facilities at a much lower cost than new construction, and with reduced licensing and commissioning time and costs, thereby redeveloping the site for active use.

[0161] Refer to Figure 12A. An integrated energy system 1200 having a nuclear thermal plant 1202 is shown. A sodium-cooled reactor is shown as an illustrative example; however, it should be understood that any type of reactor having the system and architecture (configuration) described herein can be utilized. The sodium-cooled reactor is located within a nuclear island 1204, which includes the reactor containment vessel. The reactor site boundary 1206 surrounds the nuclear island 1204. Within the nuclear island 1204 and site boundary 1206 is an intermediate thermal loop 1208. This is a sodium loop in the illustrated example. In some sodium-cooled reactors, the intermediate thermal loop 1208 is preferred for several reasons. For example, sodium and water / steam interact energetically. The intermediate loop 1208 in a sodium-cooled reactor is typically necessary to separate the highly radioactive primary sodium from the steam in the reactor vessel, for example, in the event of a steam generator tube rupture. The sodium in the intermediate heat loop 1208 becomes radioactive when it passes through the primary heat exchanger 1210 located within the reactor vessel 1212, due to the neutron flux. However, this is far less than the primary sodium in the reactor vessel 1212.

[0162] In some embodiments of the reactor, a primary heat exchanger 1210 transfers thermal energy from the primary sodium coolant in the reactor vessel 1221 to the sodium coolant in the intermediate heat loop 1208. Often, the primary heat exchanger 1210 is a sodium / sodium heat exchanger. The intermediate heat loop 1208 can then transfer the thermal energy to another heat transfer medium. This other heat transfer medium may be salt in the intermediate heat exchanger 1214, as in the illustrated example. The salt then transfers the thermal energy to a heat storage system 1220 for storage and utilization by the power conversion system 1222. The power conversion system 1222 may include one or more steam generators 1224. The power conversion system 1222 may also include one or more turbines 1226 and condensers 1228 that can be used for power generation. One effect of the illustrated intermediate heat loop 1208 is to maintain separation between the sodium cycle and the steam cycle. Furthermore, the intermediate thermal loop 1208 reduces or prevents salt activation by remotely positioning the salt loop 1230 between the reactor vessel 1212 and the reactor core.

[0163] Figure 12B shows an integrated energy system 1250 with a nuclear thermal plant 1202 in which the intermediate heat loop has been removed from the system architecture. For example, the primary coolant loop in the reactor vessel 1212 is in direct thermal communication with the heat transfer loop 1230 of the thermal storage system 1220. By removing the intermediate heat loop, the structure, piping, and valves are simplified and costs are reduced. This is achieved, at least in part, by the salt system architecture (configuration) that receives thermal energy from the primary heat exchanger 1210 in the reactor vessel. As a result, separation between the steam cycle and the sodium loop of the power conversion system is maintained.

[0164] However, another consideration is the neutron activation of the salt system by the heat transfer medium (e.g., salt) passing through the primary heat exchanger 1210 in the reactor vessel 1212.

[0165] Figures 13A and 13B show an embodiment of a compact heat exchanger ("CHX") 1300 according to one embodiment. The compact heat exchanger 1300 may be a printed circuit heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, a formed plate heat exchanger, or a hybrid heat exchanger, where two or more media flow on opposite sides of one or more joined plates. The cooling media may be under high pressure, but in some embodiments, they may be under low pressure. In some embodiments, the working fluid, which is sodium and salt, may flow on both sides of one or more joined plates through a 2D or 3D plate pattern. The 2D or 3D plate pattern can be configured to produce a desired thermal length and pressure drop. As used herein, sodium and salt are used as exemplary working fluids in the CHX, with sodium used as a cooling fluid in the reactor core and salt used as a heat transfer fluid for transferring thermal energy to the outside of the reactor vessel. In one embodiment, the CHX is used in conjunction with a sodium pool reactor.

[0166] The sodium inlet 1302 may be formed adjacent to one side of the CHX, and the sodium outlet 1304 may be formed on the opposite side of the CHX. In one embodiment, in a configuration installed within a reactor vessel, the sodium inlet 1302 may be adjacent to the top surface of the CHX, and the sodium outlet 1304 may be adjacent to the bottom surface of the CHX. In one embodiment, the sodium inlet 1302 may be higher than the sodium outlet 1304. However, in other embodiments, the sodium inlet 1302 may be on any side of the CHX or adjacent to any side of the CHX, and the sodium outlet 1304 may be on any other side of the CHX or adjacent to any other side of the CHX. Often, the sodium inlet 1302 and the sodium outlet 1304 are on opposite sides of the CHX.

[0167] The salt inlet 1306 may be located on one side of the CHX1300, or adjacent to one side of the CHX1300. This side may be perpendicular to the side configured to have the sodium inlet 1302. The salt outlet 1308 may be formed on the same side as the salt inlet 1306 to provide a salt loop piping that can enter and exit on the same side of the reactor vessel. However, the salt inlet 1306 and the salt outlet 1308 may be formed on different surfaces of the CHX1300, respectively.

[0168] The CHX1300 may be formed from a series of parallel plates 1310 having a plurality of surface grooves 1312, the plurality of surface grooves 1312 may be arranged adjacent to each other so as to form a series of channels when the series of parallel plates 1310 are joined together. The surface grooves 1312 may be formed on the surface of the plates by photochemical etching, mechanical formation, or some other process. The surface grooves 1312 may be sized and arranged to provide desired flow characteristics such as fluid path length and pressure drop.

[0169] In many cases, plates 1310 are diffusion-bonded to each other. This is a solid-state welding process that provides the strength of the base metal to the above-mentioned joint, enabling excellent thermal-fluid performance and allowing for the optimization of the design of 2D and / or 3D fluid paths through CHX1300.

[0170] In one embodiment, a header or manifold (not shown) providing a fluid communication path through all layers of the CHX simultaneously may be attached to the fluid inlet or fluid outlet. Alternatively or additionally, ports can be configured during the plate formation stage to provide an integrated header within the CHX1300. In some cases, the CHX1300 may be semi-ported with a mixture of headers and ports connected by a manifold.

[0171] The CHX1300 may be formed from any suitable material and in a size appropriate for its intended application. In many cases, the CHX1300 can be formed to be substantially smaller than a cylindrical multitube heat exchanger for the same application. In other words, when used in a reactor vessel, a CHX1300 designed as a sodium / salt heat exchanger may be substantially smaller than a cylindrical multitube heat exchanger configured for sodium / salt heat transfer with similar thermal energy transfer capacity. In some cases, the CHX1300 requires about one-seventh the volume of an equivalent cylindrical multitube heat exchanger for a similar application.

[0172] In the illustrated example, primary sodium flows downstream from a sodium inlet 1302 formed on the top surface through an open slot, through a channel formed between the plates of the CHX1300, and to a sodium outlet 1304 formed on the bottom surface of the CHX1300. Salt enters the salt inlet 1306, is distributed through a distributor to a low-temperature channel, flows upward through the channel formed within the CHX1300, and exits through the salt outlet 1308. In this configuration, the high-temperature fluid enters and exits near the top of the CHX, and the low-temperature fluid enters and exits near the bottom of the CHX. This configuration utilizes the natural convection cycle to promote efficient fluid flow.

[0173] An acceptable pressure drop can be specified. Typically, a lower pressure drop is desirable to reduce operating costs and improve cycle efficiency. In some embodiments, the pressure drop of sodium through CHX is less than about 6 psi (pounds per square inch), less than about 5 psi, less than about 4 psi, or less than 3 psi. Lower pressure drops may typically require shorter flow lengths and lower viscosity, which directly affect the heat transfer coefficient. The pressure drop can be adjusted by varying the flow length, fluid viscosity, and / or flow width. Similarly, the overall heat transfer may be affected by variations in the number of layers and heat transfer area.

[0174] The type of plate surface can be adapted for a specific purpose and may be formed to increase surface density and heat transfer coefficient. The type of plate surface may be formed as fins with any suitable arrangement configuration, such as serrated, herringbone, or perforated. Of course, other arrangement configurations are also possible and are assumed herein. In combination or alternatively, the passages may be formed directly within the plate by any suitable method, or in some cases, by photochemical etching.

[0175] The passage can be any suitable size and cross-sectional shape. In one embodiment, the formed channel is semicircular with a radius of about 0.5 mm, or about 0.75 mm, or about 1 mm. Of course, other suitable cross-sectional shapes and sizes are possible depending on the design flow parameters of the CHX.

[0176] Figures 14A and 14B show the relative size difference between the sodium / sodium cylindrical multitube heat exchanger 1402 (Figure 14A) and the sodium / salt CHX 1404 (Figure 14B). In particular, the sodium / salt cylindrical multitube heat exchanger is significantly larger than the sodium / sodium cylindrical multitube heat exchanger shown in Figure 14A.

[0177] Figure 14A shows a schematic diagram of a reactor 1400 having a cylindrical multitube heat exchanger 1402 designed for sodium / sodium heat transfer. As can be seen from the figure, the sodium / sodium heat exchanger 1402 is one of the largest components within the reactor vessel 1406 and is a major design factor in designing the reactor 1400. In fact, the sodium / sodium heat exchanger 1402 largely determines the height of the reactor vessel 1406, which in turn affects the overall size of the containment structure and other components.

[0178] Furthermore, because the sodium / sodium heat exchanger 1402 is adjacent to the reactor core 1408, which receives relatively high levels of neutron radiation, shielding the sodium / sodium heat exchanger 1402 is difficult and costly. Shielding is difficult due to spatial constraints within the reactor vessel 1406 and also due to the size of the heat exchanger 1402. If the cylindrical multitube sodium / sodium heat exchanger 1402 is replaced with a cylindrical multitube sodium / salt heat exchanger, the sodium / salt cylindrical multitube heat exchanger is significantly larger than the illustrated sodium / sodium cylindrical multitube heat exchanger 1402, making the above considerations even more stringent.

[0179] In many typical configurations, the coolant salt has a thermal conductivity about 1 / 100th that of sodium. As a result, a sodium / salt cylindrical multitube heat exchanger requires a substantially larger heat exchanger than a sodium / salt heat exchanger. In some cases, the sodium / salt heat exchanger is more than twice as tall as the sodium / salt cylindrical multitube heat exchanger. In some cases, it may be advantageous to use a sodium / salt heat exchanger in these embodiments, where the salt is, for example, the working fluid in an integrated energy system, and the salt is the thermal energy storage medium. A typical intermediate sodium loop receives thermal energy from the primary coolant inside the reactor vessel 1406 and supplies it to the salt loop outside the reactor vessel 1406, but this can be eliminated by a sodium / salt heat exchanger. However, to facilitate a sodium / salt cylindrical multitube heat exchanger, the reactor vessel 1406 needs to be significantly larger (e.g., twice as tall), so any benefits realized by eliminating the intermediate sodium loop are quickly lost. Similarly, the containment structure also needs to be enlarged to accommodate the larger reactor vessel 1406.

[0180] In one embodiment, the heat exchanger within the reactor vessel 1406 plays a significant role in the size of the reactor vessel 1406. By reducing the size of the heat exchanger, the size of the reactor vessel can be reduced accordingly. In one embodiment, a compact heat exchanger 1404 is used as the primary sodium / salt heat exchanger within the reactor vessel 1406.

[0181] As shown in Figure 14B, one or more CHX1404s can be positioned within the reactor vessel 1406 at a certain distance from the core 1408. In some cases, the distance is important from the standpoint of radiation exposure. For example, the further the CHX1404 is from the core 1408, the less radiation it is exposed to. As a result, the further the CHX1404 is positioned from the core 1408, the less shielding is required to reduce the activation of salts in the salt loop. In addition, increasing the distance of the CHX1404 from the core 1408 improves the natural circulation of sodium within the reactor vessel 1406 and allows for a reduction in the size of the circulation pump 1410. As a result, further efficiency and size advantages are obtained. In some cases, by utilizing one or more CHX1404s within the reactor vessel 1406, the reactor can be enabled to output a larger amount of thermal energy, or its size can be reduced without sacrificing that output.

[0182] In the cylindrical multi-tube heat exchanger 14402 shown in Figure 14A, the heat exchanger is adjacent to the reactor core and requires a large amount of shielding to reduce the activation of the heat transfer fluid. Compared to the cylindrical multi-tube heat exchanger 14402 in Figure 14A, the CHX 1404 is smaller and located further away from the reactor core 1408. This reduces the amount of shielding required. Therefore, the CHX 1404 enables a pool reactor design with significantly simplified design, structure, shielding, piping, and required costs. In some embodiments, the CHX is used in conjunction with a pool reactor. In some embodiments, the pool reactor is a sodium pool reactor. In some cases, the sodium pool reactor operates in the fast neutron spectrum.

[0183] In one embodiment, the pressure in the salt loop within the CHX1404 is higher than the pressure in the sodium loop of the CHX1404. As a result, any leak in the CHX1404 will allow salt to flow into the sodium. In some cases, the reaction products of the salt-sodium combination may tend to block any leaks within the CHX1404. Thus, an inherent safety may be provided in the event of a failure of a component of the CHX1404. Furthermore, any potential leaks within the CHX1404 can be detected by the reactor's cover gas system. The size and location of the CHX1404 facilitate its removal and replacement. Therefore, maintenance and replacement of the CHX1404 are more efficient compared to the cylindrical multi-tube heat exchanger 1402.

[0184] In one embodiment, multiple CHXs can be used in a pool reactor. As previously mentioned, the sodium inlet may be located at a higher height on the CHX, while the sodium outlet may be located at a lower height on the CHX. The salt inlet and salt outlet may be located on the same side of the CHX. The salt inlet and salt outlet may be arranged to facilitate efficiency in the installation, piping, and optional replacement of the CHX. In one embodiment, the salt inlet and salt outlet may be provided by coaxial inlet and outlet pipes. Of course, other configurations, such as other, non-coaxial pipes, are possible. Not only that, other arrangement configurations of the salt inlet and salt outlet are possible, and they may be located on adjacent sides or on opposite sides of the CHX1404.

[0185] Sodium outlets from two or more CHXs may be merged into a single sodium outlet that returns cooled sodium to the core. Additional sodium loops are eliminated by utilizing salt as a working fluid to receive thermal energy from the reactor and transfer it to a thermal storage system. This also reduces the need for large sodium pipes with sodium ignition prevention and shielding, thus further simplifying assembly and associated costs.

[0186] While the exemplary CHX1404 has been described in relation to a sodium pool reactor, the features and advantages described herein may be similarly applicable to other reactor types. Similarly, although salt is used as an example of the cooling medium described herein, this is illustrative, and other media and types of media are also possible.

[0187] Figure 15 shows an integrated energy system 1500 having a nuclear thermal plant 1502 equipped with a thermogenerating reactor 1504. The reactor 1504 is thermally connected to a thermal storage system 1506. The thermal storage system is thermally connected to an energy conversion system 1508. The energy conversion system 1508 is connected to an external load 1510.

[0188] The thermogenerative reactor 1504 is substantially as described herein and may be any suitable type of reactor currently known or to be developed in the future. Furthermore, the thermogenerative reactor 1504 may include any suitable size reactor, such as a small modular reactor, a micro-reactor, or even a gigawatt-sized reactor or larger. In addition, one or more reactors (which may be the same type of reactor or different types and sizes of reactors) may be used in an integrated energy conversion system.

[0189] The reactor 1504 is surrounded by a reactor site boundary 1512, substantially as described herein. Located outside the reactor site boundary 1512 is the thermal storage system 1506. As described, the thermal storage system 1506 may be any suitable type of thermal storage system 1506, and any suitable type of thermal storage medium may be used. For example, the thermal storage medium may be a eutectic solution, a phase change material, a miscible gap alloy, or a mixture of metals (e.g., AlSi 12 This may include cement-based materials, molten salts (for example, in particular chloride salts, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, NaKMg, or NaKMg-Cl), solid or fused silicon, or combinations thereof or other materials.

[0190] In some examples, the heat storage medium is also used as the heat transfer fluid in the energy transfer system 1514 and / or the energy supply system 1516. In this regard, the energy supply system 1516 may be in fluid communication with the energy conversion system 1508, and the heat supply fluid of the energy supply system 1516 may directly interact with the heat storage medium of the heat storage system 1506. Similarly, in some examples, the energy transfer system 1514 may use the same heat transfer fluid as the heat storage medium of the heat storage system 1506. In some cases, the heat storage system 1506 may be in direct fluid contact with the energy transfer system 1514, the energy supply system 1516, or both.

[0191] The thermal storage system 1506 is thermally connected to the reactor 1504 by an energy transfer system 1514. The energy transfer system 1514 may be thermally coupled to the reactor 1504 and to the thermal storage system 1506 by one or more heat exchangers. The energy transfer system 1514 typically transfers thermal energy to the thermal storage system 1506 via insulated conduits, where the thermal energy is stored until needed.

[0192] The thermal storage system 1506 is thermally connected to the energy conversion system 1508 by an energy supply system 1516, etc. The energy conversion system 1508 may be any suitable type of currently known or future-developed technology that can convert thermal energy into another form of useful energy. In one example, the energy conversion system 1508 is a supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycle that uses an sCO2 turbine to convert sCO2 into mechanical work. This may operate in a Brayton cycle. Often, sCO2 is fed through a turbine, which rotates the shaft of a generator to produce electricity. sCO2 has a higher energy density than steam. This leads to smaller system components while producing a net output similar to that of a larger steam turbine. Furthermore, by using sCO2 as the working fluid and completely eliminating the steam generator, the capital construction costs required for the system are much lower. Moreover, sCO2 is non-explosive, non-flammable, non-toxic, and relatively inexpensive.

[0193] In one embodiment, sCO2 is heated by salt from the thermal storage system 1506 via a heat exchanger or the like. The sCO2 expands in the turbine, causing it to rotate and create mechanical shaft work. The CO2 exiting the turbine is cooled to a desired condenser inlet temperature in a heat exchanger, and the CO2 is sent back to a heat exchanger to be reheated by salt. This cycle is repeated. Other system architectures are conceivable. For example, the thermal storage system 1506 may be omitted or bypassed, resulting in a system where thermal energy is supplied directly from the reactor 1504 to the sCO2 power cycle system 1508.

[0194] The sCO2 power cycle system 1508 may be coupled to an external load 1510, for example, by an energy transmission system 1518. The external load 1510 may be the public power grid. The sCO2 power cycle system 1508 can transmit the generated power to the power grid, for example, by high-voltage transmission lines that carry power from the sCO2 power cycle system to demand centers. In particular, the energy conversion system 15089 is located remotely from the reactor, often outside the reactor site boundary 1512, and often outside the EPZ. As described, the reactor 1504 is disconnected from the energy conversion system 1508, and any failure in the sCO2 power cycle system 1508 does not negatively affect the reactor 1504, and vice versa. In fact, even if the reactor 1504 is shut down for maintenance or refueling, the thermal storage system 1506 can continue to supply thermal energy to the sCO2 power cycle system 1508 in order to supply power to the external load.

[0195] Figure 16 shows an integrated energy system 1600 having a nuclear thermal plant 1602 directly coupled to an sCO2 power cycle 1604. The sCO2 power cycle 1604 may be coupled to an external load 1606 by an energy transfer system 1610. In this example, the energy transfer system 1608 may include salt. The salt is heated by the reactor 1602 substantially as described herein and sent to the sCO2 power cycle system 1604. Thereafter, the salt is used to heat the CO2 to a supercritical state to drive the sCO2 turbine. The sCO2 power cycle system 1604 can provide base load demand, and any excess (surplus) thermal energy generated by the nuclear thermal plant 1602 may be sent and used for other heat treatment. The sCO2 power cycle system 1604 may be located outside the reactor site boundary 1612 and outside the emergency planning area of ​​the reactor 1602. The reactor 1602 in the illustrated embodiment may be any suitable reactor, such as the reactors described herein.

[0196] Figure 17 shows an alternative system architecture (system configuration) of the integrated energy system 1700 in which the nuclear thermal plant 1702 generates heat. The heat is transferred to the energy transfer system 1704 by heat exchangers in the reactor vessel, etc. The energy transfer system 1704 uses a working fluid to transfer thermal energy. In some cases, the working fluid is salt, but may be other fluids. The nuclear thermal plant 1702 and the heat storage system 1706 may be any suitable system, and may be the same as or identical to similar systems described in other embodiments herein.

[0197] The working fluid in the energy transfer system 1704 can be branched to supply thermal energy to multiple systems. As shown in the figure, a first portion of the thermal energy may be supplied to the heat storage system 1706, and a second portion of the thermal energy may be supplied to the sCO2 power cycle 1708. In one example, the thermal energy supplied to the heat storage system 1706 may be utilized substantially as described herein, for example, by driving an energy conversion system 1710. The energy conversion system 1710 may be a steam turbine system used to generate electricity supplied to an external load 1712.

[0198] The thermal energy supplied to the sCO2 power cycle 1708 may be used for any suitable purpose, and in some cases may be used to provide power for an external load 1714. In one example, the external load 1714 is a base load power demand, and the sCO2 power cycle 1708 may be operated at a level that satisfies that base load power demand. Another power source, such as the energy conversion system 1710, may be a steam generator and may be used to meet peak power demand, or vice versa.

[0199] In one embodiment, a first energy transfer system 1407 uses a first working fluid to supply energy to a heat storage system 1706. A second energy transfer system 1716 may use a second working fluid to supply thermal energy to an sCO2 power cycle 1708. In one embodiment, the second working fluid may be CO2, which is superheated by a thermogenerating reactor 1702 and sent to the sCO2 power cycle 1708, which uses the sCO2 directly. In one embodiment, the sCO2 power cycle 1708 may be used to supply power to one or more reactors. In this regard, the one or more reactors do not need to rely on the power grid when power from the power grid is unavailable. However, the reactors can be self-sustaining and disconnected from the power grid by relying on the sCO2 power cycle system 1708 to supply power. In one embodiment, the second working fluid is the same as the first working fluid. In one embodiment, the first and second working fluids are salts.

[0200] In one embodiment, the thermal storage system 1706 is located outside the reactor site boundary 1720. In one embodiment, the energy conversion system 1710 is located outside the reactor site boundary 1720. In one embodiment, the sCO2 power cycle system is located outside the reactor site boundary 1720. The reactor site boundary 1720 may be any suitable boundary, such as those described herein. In some cases, the thermal storage system 1706, the energy conversion system 1710, the sCO2 power cycle system 1708, or a combination of these systems, is located outside the EPZ of the thermogenerating reactor 1702. In one embodiment, the sCO2 power cycle system 1708 is coupled to two or more reactors 1702 to provide power to those two or more reactors independently of the power grid.

[0201] Embodiments described herein provide an integrated energy system that separates a thermal energy source from an energy conversion system, providing a modular, scalable, and efficient system that can be used to meet not only industrial process heat but also base and peak electrical load demands. One or more thermal energy sources, such as one or more nuclear reactors of various types, solar power plants, geothermal energy sources, etc., can be coupled to the rest of the plant's systems, such as thermal storage and energy conversion systems.

[0202] Those skilled in the art will recognize that any process or method disclosed herein can be modified in many ways. The process parameters and sequences of the processes described and / or illustrated herein are given merely as examples and can be changed as desired. For example, the processes illustrated and / or described herein may be shown or described in a particular order, but these processes do not necessarily have to be performed in the order illustrated or described.

[0203] Various exemplary methods described and / or illustrated herein may omit one or more of the steps described or illustrated herein, or may include additional steps in addition to the disclosed steps. Furthermore, any step of any method disclosed herein may be combined with any one or more steps of any other method disclosed herein.

[0204] Unless otherwise specified, the terms “connected” and “joined” (and their derivatives) used in the specification and claims should be interpreted as allowing both direct and indirect (i.e., through other elements or components) connection. Furthermore, the terms “a” or “an” used in the specification and claims should be interpreted as meaning “at least one of.” Finally, for ease of use, the terms “include” and “have” (and their derivatives) used in the specification and claims should be interchangeable with the word “equipped” and have the same meaning.

[0205] As used herein, the term "or" is used inclusively to refer to items in terms of alternatives and combinations. As used herein, letters such as numbers refer to similar elements.

[0206] Embodiments of the present invention are shown and described herein and are provided merely as examples. Those skilled in the art will recognize numerous adaptations, modifications, variations, and substitutions without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Several substitutes and combinations of the embodiments disclosed herein may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure and the invention disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention of this disclosure shall be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents. This disclosure also includes the following numbered clauses.

[0207] 1. It is a system, The reactor located on the reactor site, A reactor site boundary surrounding the reactor, defined by one or more barriers that restrict access to the reactor site, A thermal energy storage system located outside the reactor site boundary, comprising a thermal energy storage system that is in thermal communication with the reactor, A generator that is in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system, the generator located outside the reactor site boundary, A system characterized by including

[0208] 2. Furthermore, the system according to Clause 1, characterized in that it includes a containment building, and the reactor is enclosed within the containment building.

[0209] 3. Furthermore, the system according to Clause 1, characterized in that it includes a fuel handling area, the fuel handling area being located within the reactor site boundary.

[0210] 4. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the thermal energy storage system is in thermal communication with the reactor by an energy transfer system.

[0211] 5. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the energy transfer system includes a fluid loop, and the fluid loop forms a closed loop between the reactor and the thermal energy storage system.

[0212] 6. The system according to Clause 5, characterized in that the fluid loop of the energy transfer system is in thermal communication with the reactor by a first heat exchanger and in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system by a second heat exchanger.

[0213] 7. The system according to Clause 5, characterized in that the fluid loop includes a working fluid.

[0214] 8. The system according to Clause 7, characterized in that the working fluid contains a chloride salt.

[0215] 9. The system according to Clause 7, characterized in that the working fluid contains sodium nitrate.

[0216] 10. The system according to Clause 7, characterized in that the working fluid contains a eutectic solution.

[0217] 11. The system according to Clause 7, characterized in that the working fluid includes a phase-change material.

[0218] 12. The system according to Clause 7, characterized in that the working fluid includes a miscibility gap alloy.

[0219] 13. The system according to Clause 7, characterized in that the working fluid contains molten metal or a metal alloy.

[0220] 14. The system according to Clause 6, characterized in that the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger is a cylindrical multi-tube heat exchanger.

[0221] 15. The system according to Clause 6, characterized in that the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger is a double-pipe heat exchanger.

[0222] 16. The system according to Clause 6, characterized in that the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger is a plate heat exchanger.

[0223] 17. The system described in Clause 6, wherein the first heat exchanger is a compact heat exchanger.

[0224] 18. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor site boundary includes a fence.

[0225] 19. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a fast neutron reactor.

[0226] 20. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a breeder reactor.

[0227] twenty one. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a thermal neutron reactor.

[0228] twenty two. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a heavy water reactor.

[0229] twenty three. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a light water reactor.

[0230] twenty four. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a molten salt reactor.

[0231] twenty five. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a liquid metal-cooled reactor.

[0232] 26. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a gas-cooled reactor.

[0233] 27. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the thermal energy storage system is coupled to an energy conversion system having a thermal power input greater than the thermal power output of the reactor.

[0234] 28. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the thermal energy storage system is a low-pressure system.

[0235] 29. The system according to Clause 28, characterized in that the energy transport system is configured to transfer thermal energy from the reactor to the thermal energy storage system.

[0236] 30. The system according to Clause 29, characterized in that the energy transport system is a low-pressure system.

[0237] 31. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the generator is in thermal contact with the thermal energy storage system by an energy supply system.

[0238] 32. The energy supply system according to clause 31, characterized in that it includes a closed fluid loop.

[0239] 33. The system according to clause 32, characterized in that the closed fluid loop contains a molten salt.

[0240] 34. The system according to Clause 31, characterized in that the energy supply system includes a working fluid that is in direct contact with the heat storage medium in the thermal energy storage system.

[0241] 35. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the generator is a steam turbine.

[0242] 36. The system according to Clause 35, characterized in that the steam turbine converts steam into mechanical work.

[0243] 37. Furthermore, it includes a generator coupled to the steam turbine by the output shaft of the steam turbine, The system according to Clause 36, characterized in that the mechanical work causes the generator to produce electricity.

[0244] 38. The system according to Clause 37, characterized in that the generator is configured as a load-following power generation system.

[0245] 39. The system according to Clause 1, characterized in that the reactor is a first reactor, and the system further includes a second reactor.

[0246] 40. The second reactor is located on the second reactor site within the boundary of the second reactor site, The system according to Clause 39, characterized in that the thermal energy storage system and the generator are located outside the second reactor site boundary.

[0247] 41. Furthermore, the system according to Clause 1 is characterized by including an auxiliary heat storage system that is in thermal communication with the reactor.

[0248] 42. The system according to Clause 41, characterized in that the auxiliary heat storage system is configured to adjust the inlet temperature of the reactor core.

[0249] 43. Furthermore, the system according to Clause 1 is characterized by including a solar thermal energy system that is in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system.

[0250] 44. The system according to Clause 1, further characterized in that it includes an emergency planning area around the reactor, and the thermal energy storage system and the generator are located outside the emergency planning area.

[0251] 45. The system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the reactor comprises a reactor vessel, a primary coolant loop at least partially located within the reactor vessel, and a primary heat exchanger in thermal communication with the primary coolant loop.

[0252] 46. The system according to Clause 45, characterized in that the primary heat exchanger is a sodium-salt heat exchanger.

[0253] 47. The system according to Clause 45, characterized in that the primary heat exchanger transfers thermal energy from the reactor core to the working fluid of the thermal energy storage system.

[0254] 48. It is a system, A reactor located within the site boundary of a nuclear reactor, having a reactor vessel, A heat exchanger within the reactor vessel, configured to thermally couple the primary coolant within the reactor vessel with the salt coolant in the coolant loop, A thermal energy storage system located outside the reactor site boundary and configured to receive thermal energy from the salt coolant of the coolant loop, A system characterized by including

[0255] 49. The system according to Clause 48, further comprising a power generation system that is thermally connected to the thermal energy storage system, wherein the power generation system is located outside the reactor site boundary.

[0256] 50. The system according to Clause 49, characterized in that the reactor has a first nameplate capacity, and the power generation system has a second nameplate capacity, wherein the second nameplate capacity is greater than the first nameplate capacity.

[0257] 51. It is a system, A nuclear reactor having thermal power output, A power generation system having a thermal power input that is in thermal communication with the aforementioned nuclear reactor, Includes, A system characterized in that the thermal power input is greater than the thermal power output.

[0258] 52. The system according to Clause 51, further comprising a heat storage system disposed between the reactor and the power generation system, wherein the heat storage system receives thermal power from the reactor and supplies thermal power to the power generation system.

[0259] 53. The system according to Clause 52, characterized in that the heat storage system is sized to supply a greater amount of thermal power than that the reactor can supply.

[0260] 54. Furthermore, including the reactor site boundary, The system according to Clause 51, characterized in that the reactor is located within the reactor site boundary.

[0261] 55. The power generation system is characterized by being located outside the reactor site boundary, as described in Clause 54.

[0262] 56. The system according to any of the preceding clauses, comprising a primary heat exchanger, wherein the primary heat exchanger is a sodium / salt heat exchanger.

[0263] 57. The system according to Clause 56, characterized in that the primary heat exchanger is located within the reactor vessel of the reactor.

[0264] 58. The system according to Clause 57, characterized in that the first heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the heat storage system.

[0265] 59. The system according to Clause 52, further characterized by including a second reactor that is in thermal communication with the heat storage system.

[0266] 60. The system according to clause 59, wherein the second reactor is a reactor with a design different from that of the reactor.

[0267] 61. The system according to clause 52, further comprising a solar thermal plant in thermal communication with the heat storage system.

[0268] 62. The system according to clause 52, further comprising a wind thermal plant in thermal communication with the heat storage system.

[0269] 63. The system according to any of the preceding clauses, wherein the reactor is separated from the heat storage system and the power generation system.

[0270] 64. The system according to any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a hydrogen generator that receives thermal energy and generates hydrogen.

[0271] 65. The system according to clause 64, wherein the hydrogen generator includes an electrolysis device.

[0272] 66. The system according to clause 65, wherein the hydrogen generator generates hydrogen through a high-temperature electrolysis process.

[0273] 67. The system according to clause 64, wherein the hydrogen generator generates hydrogen through a steam reforming process with natural gas.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0274] [Figure 1] Shows a typical nuclear power plant. [Figure 2] Shows a nuclear heat plant separated from a power generation plant according to an embodiment. [Figure 3]This shows a nuclear thermal plant combined with a thermal energy storage plant, according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled with a remote thermal storage plant having an optional auxiliary thermal storage plant, according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled to a remote thermal storage system coupled to an external load, according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This shows exemplary industrial heating applications and required temperatures. [Figure 7] This invention illustrates an energy system in which multiple heat sources share a common heat storage and energy conversion system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This invention illustrates an energy system in which multiple heat sources share a common heat storage and energy conversion system with an auxiliary power system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] This document shows a nuclear thermal plant coupled to a remote heat storage system connected to an external load and auxiliary heat utilization, according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] This invention illustrates a hybrid energy system in which multiple forms of thermal energy generators are coupled to a common thermal storage system and a common power conversion system, according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] This describes an energy system in which the nuclear power block is separated from the power block by an integrated energy storage block, according to one embodiment. [Figure 12A] An integrated energy system having a nuclear thermal plant, according to one embodiment, is shown. [Figure 12B] This describes an integrated energy system with a nuclear thermal plant, in which an intermediate thermal loop is removed from the system architecture, according to one embodiment. [Figure 13A] A perspective view of one embodiment of a compact heat exchanger according to a certain embodiment is shown. [Figure 13B] A perspective view of one embodiment of a compact heat exchanger according to a certain embodiment is shown. [Figure 14A]A schematic diagram of a nuclear thermal plant having a cylindrical multi-tube heat exchanger according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 14B] A schematic diagram of a nuclear thermal plant having a compact heat exchanger according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 15] A schematic diagram of an integrated energy system utilizing a supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle, according to one embodiment, is shown. [Figure 16] A schematic diagram of a nuclear thermal plant coupled to a remote supercritical carbon dioxide power cycle coupled to an external load, according to one embodiment, is shown. [Figure 17] A schematic diagram is shown of an integrated energy system in which a nuclear thermal plant supplies thermal energy to a heat storage system and a power cycle system, according to one embodiment.

Claims

1. It is a system, A sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor on a reactor site, comprising a reactor vessel and a sodium-salt plate heat exchanger within the reactor vessel, and having a first nameplate capacity, A reactor site boundary surrounding the aforementioned sodium-cooled fast-spectrum reactor, defined by one or more barriers that restrict access to the reactor site, A thermal energy storage system located outside the reactor site boundary, which is in thermal communication with the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor and includes a salt working fluid, A fluid loop extending between the thermal energy storage system and the sodium-salt plate heat exchanger in the reactor vessel, the fluid loop configured to carry the salt working fluid, A generator that is in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system, located outside the reactor site boundary, and having a second nameplate capacity larger than the first nameplate capacity of the sodium-cooled fast-spectrum reactor, Includes, The sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor is not in direct thermal communication with the generator in the system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy storage system is in thermal communication with the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor by an energy transfer system.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the energy transfer system includes the fluid loop, and the fluid loop forms a closed loop between the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor and the thermal energy storage system.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the fluid loop is thermally connected to the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor by the sodium-salt plate heat exchanger and thermally connected to the thermal energy storage system by the second heat exchanger.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the fluid loop contains a salt as a working fluid.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reactor site boundary includes a fence.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy storage system has a thermal energy storage capacity greater than the first nameplate capacity of the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the generator is in thermal contact with the thermal energy storage system by an energy supply system that uses molten salt as a working fluid.

9. The aforementioned sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor is the first reactor, The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second reactor that is in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system.

10. The second reactor is located on the second reactor site within the boundary of the second reactor site, The system according to claim 9, wherein the thermal energy storage system and the generator are located outside the second reactor site boundary.

11. Furthermore, the system according to claim 1, further comprising a solar thermal energy system that is in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system.

12. A system, A sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor on a reactor site, comprising a reactor vessel and a sodium-salt plate heat exchanger within the reactor vessel, and having a first nameplate capacity, A reactor site boundary surrounding the aforementioned sodium-cooled fast-spectrum reactor, defined by one or more barriers that restrict access to the reactor site, A thermal energy storage system located outside the reactor site boundary, which is in thermal communication with the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor and includes a salt working fluid, A fluid loop extending between the thermal energy storage system and the sodium-salt plate heat exchanger in the reactor vessel, the fluid loop configured to carry the salt working fluid, A generator that is in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage system, located outside the reactor site boundary, and having a second nameplate capacity larger than the first nameplate capacity of the sodium-cooled fast-spectrum reactor, Includes, Furthermore, the area surrounding the sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor includes an emergency planning zone. The thermal energy storage system and the generator are located outside the emergency planning area.

13. The aforementioned sodium-cooled fast spectral reactor is The reactor vessel includes a primary sodium coolant loop, The system according to claim 1, wherein the sodium-salt plate heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the primary sodium coolant loop.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the sodium-salt plate heat exchanger is located within the upper half of the reactor vessel.

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