5 ms·

I actually think this technology can be perfect in combination with new nuclear power. FlibeEnergy hopes to use it, and I know the other vendors are not planni

by nickik 5y ago

I actually think this technology can be perfect in combination with new nuclear power. FlibeEnergy hopes to use it, and I know the other vendors are not planning to use it, but if it came about they would love it.

pfdietz 5y ago
Yes, I think reducing the cost of the non-nuclear part of a NPP is essential if nuclear is to have any sort of future. The problem is sCO2 needs a higher temperature reactor than LWRs, which introduces its own host of problems.
- Robotbeat 5y ago
  Does it? I thought sCO2 could operate at small temperature gradients. In fact, I thought sCO2 can work for industrial heat pumps.
  - pfdietz 5y ago
    The applications for nuclear under investigation involve temperatures of 550 C to 800 C. https://www.energy.gov/sco2-power-cycles/sco2-power-cycles-nuclear https://www.energy.gov/sco2-power-cycles/sco2-power-cycles-n... This chart shows temperatures for nuclear applications as low as 350 C, but that's still hotter than today's LWRs. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/01/f19/NEACsCO2BraytonBrief.pdf https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/01/f19/NEACsCO2... This second pdf shows the problem: replacing steam means not just building sCO2 turbines, but doing all the incremental optimizations on them that steam turbines already have.
- nickik 5y ago
  Most next generation reactors already are high temperature. All the major companies at the forefront of reactor commercialization have high temperature reactors. The optimal today for a reactor is having one reactor with output X and then add 3X worth of turbines and a way to store hot solar salt. This way you can produce huge amount of energy at the times when prices are high. Of course it also means the nuclear part of the project would only be a small part of the overall cost.
  - pfdietz 5y ago
    > Most next generation reactors already are high temperature. Yes, and as I said this introduces a host of new problems. Not only do these reactors need higher temperature materials, they need materials that can with standard corrosion and radiation at those temperatures.
    - nickik 5y ago
      And they also remove far more problems. In fact they are far simpler then PWRs. It is far, far, far easier to design a reactor to withstand high temperature and corrosion then operating a reactor under gigantic amount of pressure.

by nickik 5y ago

pfdietz 5y ago

Yes, I think reducing the cost of the non-nuclear part of a NPP is essential if nuclear is to have any sort of future. The problem is sCO2 needs a higher temperature reactor than LWRs, which introduces its own host of problems.

Robotbeat 5y ago
Does it? I thought sCO2 could operate at small temperature gradients. In fact, I thought sCO2 can work for industrial heat pumps.
- pfdietz 5y ago
  The applications for nuclear under investigation involve temperatures of 550 C to 800 C. https://www.energy.gov/sco2-power-cycles/sco2-power-cycles-nuclear https://www.energy.gov/sco2-power-cycles/sco2-power-cycles-n... This chart shows temperatures for nuclear applications as low as 350 C, but that's still hotter than today's LWRs. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/01/f19/NEACsCO2BraytonBrief.pdf https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/01/f19/NEACsCO2... This second pdf shows the problem: replacing steam means not just building sCO2 turbines, but doing all the incremental optimizations on them that steam turbines already have.
nickik 5y ago
Most next generation reactors already are high temperature. All the major companies at the forefront of reactor commercialization have high temperature reactors. The optimal today for a reactor is having one reactor with output X and then add 3X worth of turbines and a way to store hot solar salt. This way you can produce huge amount of energy at the times when prices are high. Of course it also means the nuclear part of the project would only be a small part of the overall cost.
- pfdietz 5y ago
  > Most next generation reactors already are high temperature. Yes, and as I said this introduces a host of new problems. Not only do these reactors need higher temperature materials, they need materials that can with standard corrosion and radiation at those temperatures.
  - nickik 5y ago
    And they also remove far more problems. In fact they are far simpler then PWRs. It is far, far, far easier to design a reactor to withstand high temperature and corrosion then operating a reactor under gigantic amount of pressure.