Enabling Technologies for Nuclear Gas Turbine (GT-MHR) Power Conversion System

Abstract

Since the onset of gas-cooled reactor work, almost half a century ago, the potential for direct coupling of a nuclear heat source with a gas turbine power conversion system was recognized, however, the technologies for the realization of this were not available, and the plants operated to date have used Rankine steam turbine power conversion systems. In the early 1990s, technology transfer from the gas turbine and aerospace industries, now make possible the introduction of the gas turbine modular helium reactor (GT-MHR) for utility power generation within the next decade. In this paper the enabling technologies for the helium gas turbine power conversion system are discussed, and these include the turbomachinery, magnetic bearings, compact heat exchangers, and helium system operating experience. Utilizing proven technology, the first GT-MHR plant would operate with an efficiency of 47%, and by exploiting its full potential this could perhaps reach as high as 60% early in the next century.

An Assessment of the Performance of Closed Cycles With and Without Heat Rejection at Cryogenic Temperatures

“…As mentioned by McDonald (1977McDonald ( , 1994aMcDonald ( , I994b, 1995 fig. 5 indicates that it is possible to achieve thermal efficiencies near 50%, remarkably greater than those of nuclear plants with water cooled reactors or liquid metal cooled reactors (General Atomic, 1993).…”

“…Past studies of CCGT systems concentrated on matching closed cycle systems with gas-cooled reactors for nuclear applications (McDonald, 1977(McDonald, , 1994a(McDonald, , 1994bYan and Lidslcy, 1993) and on space or underwater systems (ICoraldanitis et al, 1993(ICoraldanitis et al, , 1994Massardo, 1993;Massardo and Amulfi, 1992). Beyond these applications, where CCGT are indispensable, two other terrestrial CCGT applications are presently dominant.…”

The Indirect Cycle: A Logical and Practical Nuclear Gas Turbine Power Plant Concept

“…Studies have been performed, at about 10 year intervals over the last 50 years, and each concluded that a viable project could not be undertaken because of lack of technology readiness. Alas, in the mid 1990s, when it was felt that all of the enabling technologies were in place (McDonald, 1994a) there was no market for this, or any other type of nuclear power plant in the U.S. Work on gas cooled reactors had previously been abandoned in the U.K., France, and Germany, and finally discontinued in the U S with the cessation of funding by the U.S. Government in 1995. At the close of this program the estimated R&D cost to make the concept a reality was on the order of half a billion dollars.…”

The Nuclear Gas Turbine: Towards Realization After Half a Century of Evolution

“…Today, that situation-is over since the key technologies, developed for other applications, are now available, and by bringing together the various elements described below, the perceived risks of coupling a nuclear reactor with a gas turbine prime-mover have essentially been overcome, although a significant development effort is still necessary. The key enabling technologies have been discussed previously (McDonald, 1994a) and they are summarized below.…”