Development of the Steam Cycle-Modular Helium Reactor Steam Utilization System for High-Efficiency Cogeneration Available to Purchase

The ceramic fuel and core, inert helium coolant and superior safety characteristics of the modular High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) are the bases for its potential to displace the fossil energy resources that are presently dominant in industrial process steam and cogeneration applications. In achieving this potential, a particular challenge is to provide a flexible and efficient coupling between the high-temperature HTGR heat source and various industrial processes. This challenge was addressed in the course of developing the conceptual design of the Steam Cycle-Modular Helium Reactor for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. This paper characterizes the energy requirements of high-potential process steam and cogeneration applications and describes the development of a steam utilization architecture that can serve a wide range of industrial applications with superior flexibility and efficiency.