Separating Nuclear Reactors from the Power Block with Heat Storage to Improve Economics with Dispatchable Heat and Electricity

Figures & data

Fig. 1. Wholesale California electricity prices over 24 h on a spring day.

Fig. 2. Smoothed daily California electricity demand and smoothed daily renewable generation with total annual renewable generation equal to total annual electric demand (Courtesy of S. Brick, California Case Study, Clean Air Task Force).

Fig. 3. Energy flow diagram of the United States for 2019 (Ref. 15).

Fig. 4. Cost breakdown for delivered electricity in the United States in 2019.

Fig. 5. Current and alternative design of nuclear power systems.

Fig. 6. Two-tank sensible heat storage system.

TABLE I System Characteristics

	Nuclear Reactor	Storage	Power Block
Function	Heat production (kW.h)	Heat storage: minimize CO2 emissions	Assured generating capacity (kW)
Construction	Nuclear	Industrial	Industrial
Capacity factor	~90%		20% to 60%
Sizing	Average energy demand	Match production with demand up to 1 week	Assured capacity requirements
Economic driver	Low-cost heat	Low capital costs	Low-cost assured capacity

Fig. 7. Cost of storage versus capacity factor.

Fig. 8. CRUSH system: (a) cross section, (b) side view of sequential heating of crushed rock with hot liquid spray and gravity flow of liquid through the crushed rock, (c) top view of sequential heating and cooling of crushed rock, and (d) building cross section.

Fig. 9. Hexagonal cast iron heat storage with corrosion-resistant wrapper.

Fig. 10. Schematic tank system for sodium reactor or CSP system.

Fig. 11. Electricity costs versus capacity factor for natural gas peaking turbine (courtesy of Pintail Power LLC).

Fig. 12. EPRI simplified steam cycle for advanced Gen-IV plants.

Fig. 13. Pintail salt liquid-salt combined cycle.^TM

Fig. 14. Nuclear air Brayton cycle with thermodynamic topping cycle and heat storage.

Fig. A.1. CSP system coupled to large-scale heat storage.

“Energy Flow Charts,” Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/content/assets/images/energy/us/Energy_US_2019.png ( current as of Jan. 1, 2021).

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