High-temperature gas-cooled reactors — energy source for industrial production of hydrogen

Abstract

High-temperature helium-cooled reactors are the best understood nuclear technology that can supply high-temperature heat for thermal processes for producing hydrogen. The GT-MGR reactor -an innovative international modular design of a helium-cooled reactor with a gas-turbine cycle -best meets the requirements for hydrogen production and is proposed as a basis for a nuclear energy source. In this paper, the technical aspects of the proposed application of HTGR as a source of energy for producing hydrogen are analyzed. The required parameters of the energy obtained from HTGR for the presently completed and future hydrogen-production technology are examined. The problems and additional R&D work on the use of HTGR at high helium temperatures are indicated.Today, fossil fuels are mainly used in industry, for transportation, and for generating electricity. At the current rates of consumption, the stores of fossil fuel are sufficient for no more than several hundreds of years. It would be shortsighted to use up all of the available reserves of fossil fuels just to meet the increase in demand.The most efficient method for meeting increasing energy needs could be to convert nuclear power into electricity and hydrogen as the most effective and universal energy carriers. HTGR is a nuclear technology that can supply high-temperature heat for producing hydrogen. HTGR technology is highly safe and efficiently produces electricity while keeping environmental effects to a minimum.Today, the electrolysis of water and steam conversion of methane for subsequent stages -thermochemical decomposition of water and high-temperature electrolysis of water vapor -are the main technology which has been investigated and mastered by industry for producing hydrogen using energy from HTGRs. The main requirement for the source of high-temperature heat for producing hydrogen is that the coolant be heated up to 1000°C with pressures up to 5-7 MPa.Nuclear reactor designers became interested in high-temperature helium-cooled reactors more than 40 years ago because of the new possibility for heating the helium at the reactor exit up to 1000°C and the enhanced safety of the reactor. The first successes were achieved in the mid-1960s: experimental low-power reactors were developed -Dragon in Great Britain, the Pitch-Bottom nuclear power plant in the USA, and AVR in Germany. The first two reactors operated for more than 10 yr, and the last one operated for more than 20 yr, showing reliability, high readiness and safety, low radioactive contamination of the first loop, stability in transient regimes, and the capability of heating helium up to 950°C for a long time.

The oxygen production step of a copper–chlorine thermochemical water decomposition cycle for hydrogen production: Energy and exergy analyses

“…The GT-MGR reactor, an innovative international modular design of a helium-cooled reactor with a gas-turbine cycle, meets the requirements for hydrogen production and has been proposed as a basis for a nuclear energy source (Mitenkov et al, 2004). Technical aspects of the proposed HTGR application for producing hydrogen have been analyzed by Mitenkov et al (2004), who determined the required energy parameters for the HTGR for present and future hydrogenproduction technologies. Challenges and additional research needs relating to the HTGR at high helium temperatures are identified.…”

Research and development of hydrogen energy systems at the National Research Center «Kurchatov Institute»

“…Использование эндотермического процесса разложения природного газа на водород и углерод представляет большой интерес для крупнотоннажного производства водорода за счёт тепловой энергии от таких источников как высокотемпературные газоохлаждаемые ядерные реакторы (ВГТР) [4][5][6] или гелиотермальные системы. Процесс обеспечивает высокую (близкую 100%) степень конверсии углеводородов уже при сравнительно невысоких рабочих температурах (600 о С -1000 о С) и позволяет получать водород фактически в одну стадию.…”

“…Основные объекты исследований: -высокоэффективные электрокатализаторы и электродные материалы на основе наноразмерных (3)(4)(5)(6)…”

Reformer and Membrane Modules (RMM) for Methane Conversion Powered by a Nuclear Reactor

“…High temperature helium-cooled reactors are the best understood nuclear technology that can supply high temperature heat for thermal processes for producing hydrogen. Nuclear reactor designers became interested in high-temperature helium-cooled reactors more than 40 years ago because of the new possibility for heating the helium at the reactor exit up to 1000°C and the enhanced safety of the reactor (Mitenkov et al, 2004). The synergistic production of hydrogen using fossil fuels and nuclear energy is considered to be extremely advantageous, especially when performed through a recirculation-type membrane reformer (Hori et al, 2005).…”