Efficiency analysis of nuclear power plants: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Nuclear power plants play a significant role in global electricity generation, offering a reliable and low-carbon energy source. Maximizing the efficiency of nuclear power plants is crucial for optimizing energy output and reducing operational costs while ensuring safety and environmental sustainability. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the efficiency analysis conducted on nuclear power plants, covering various aspects such as thermal efficiency, conversion efficiency, fuel utilization, and overall plant performance. The review synthesizes the existing literature, discusses key factors influencing efficiency, and highlights potential areas for future research and improvements. It is revealed from the present review that the efficiency of the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) of the Nuclear Power Plant is 32% and which can be increased to 33% by using advanced BWR. Also, the efficiency of the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) of the Nuclear Power Plant is 33% and which can be increased to 36.5% by using the PWR with Gas Burner and Reheating. On the other hand, the efficiency of the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) of the Nuclear Power Plant is 33.4% and which can be increased to 35.5%, 37.4% and 45% by using SMR with Gas Burner, SMR with Reheating and SMR with CCGT, respectively. Therefore, it is predicted that the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is the most economic Nuclear Power Plant as it has higher thermal efficiency when it is incorporated with Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT).