An improved electrical generation
system explained herein is a method and equipment whereby nuclear reactors are used to directly propel water pumps to lift water from a lower-elevation body of water to a higher-elevation body of water, where it is stored as
potential energy.In one application of this method, one or more water pumps, each powered directly by heat from a
nuclear reactor, lift water from down-
stream of a river,
stream, or pond to upstream of a dam at which a hydro-power
plant is installed. The
nuclear reactor may be of the pressurized-water, boiling-water,
liquid metal cooled, or
molten salt-cooled type. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are ideally suited to provide pumping heat in an incremental manner in such a method. Reactor
heat output may be proportionally diverted to pumping or
desalination loads to maintain the reactor core
power level at a constant optimized
steady state. Upon demand, the lifted water is used to generate
electricity utilizing the hydro-power
plant. A weir or small dam may be constructed across the river or
stream downstream of the heat powered pump, the function of which is to create a reservoir or
pool from which water can be pumped.This way, water can be recycled and used more than once to generate
electricity, and the reactor can be operated at a
steady state power level in conjunction with a preexisting hydro-power
plant, thus allowing generation of
electricity year-round despite lower
water flow conditions.