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US 12,230,410 B2Granted
Energy storage system for nuclear reactor remote installation
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsScott M. Sweat, Ibrahim Ezelarab
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a nuclear reactor system for use with a power grid. The nuclear reactor system comprising a nuclear reactor, an energy storage system coupled to the nuclear reactor, and a control circuit coupled to the nuclear reactor and the energy storage system. The control circuit is configured to monitor a power demand of the power grid, monitor a power output generated from the nuclear reactor, detect a change in the power demand, cause the energy storage system to temporarily compensate for the change in the power demand, and adjust the power output based on the change in the power demand.
Claims17
A nuclear reactor system for use with a power grid, the nuclear reactor system comprising:
- a nuclear reactor;
- an energy storage system coupled to the nuclear reactor;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the nuclear reactor and the energy storage system, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- monitor a power demand of the power grid;
- monitor a power output generated from the nuclear reactor;
- detect a change in the power demand;
- cause the energy storage system to temporarily compensate for the change in the power demand;
- and
- adjust the power output based on the change in the power demand, wherein the energy storage system is maintained within a threshold range of a total storage capacity, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
- monitor a utilized storage capacity of the energy storage system;
- detect that the utilized storage capacity is less than a lower end of the threshold range;
- increase the power output generated by the nuclear reactor in response to detecting the utilized storage capacity being below the lower end of the threshold range, wherein the increased power output creates excess energy above the power demand of the power grid;
- increase the utilized storage capacity of the energy storage system with the excess energy;
- and
- decrease the power output generated by the nuclear reactor to match the power demand upon the utilized storage capacity being above the lower end of the threshold range.
13 more elements
A nuclear reactor system for use with a power grid, the nuclear reactor system comprising:
- a nuclear reactor;
- an energy storage system coupled to the nuclear reactor;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the nuclear reactor and the energy storage system, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
- monitor a power demand of the power grid;
- monitor a power output generated from the nuclear reactor;
- detect a change in the power demand;
- cause the energy storage system to temporarily compensate for the change in the power demand;
- and
- adjust the power output based on the change in the power demand, wherein the energy storage system is maintained within a threshold range of a total storage capacity, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
- monitor a utilized storage capacity of the energy storage system;
- detect that the utilized storage capacity is greater than an upper end of the threshold range;
- decrease the power output generated by the nuclear reactor in response to detecting the utilized storage capacity being above the upper end of the threshold range, wherein the decreased power output is below the power demand of the power grid;
- supply power from the energy storage system to compensate for the decrease in the power output;
- and
- increase the power output generated by the nuclear reactor to match the power demand upon the utilized storage capacity being below the upper end of the threshold range.
13 more elements
A method of performing load following of a power grid with a nuclear reactor system, the method comprising:
- monitoring a power demand of the power grid;
- monitoring a power output generated from a nuclear reactor;
- detecting a change in the power demand;
- causing an energy storage system to temporarily compensate for the change in the power demand;
- and
- adjusting the power output based on the change in the power demand, wherein the energy storage system is maintained within a threshold range of a total storage capacity, and wherein the method further comprises:
- monitoring a utilized storage capacity of the energy storage system;
- detecting that the utilized storage capacity is less than a lower end of the threshold range;
- increasing the power output generated by the nuclear reactor in response to detecting the utilized storage capacity being below the lower end of the threshold range, wherein the increased power output creates excess energy above the power demand of the power grid;
- increasing the utilized storage capacity of the energy storage system with the excess energy;
- and
- decreasing the power output generated by the nuclear reactor to meet the power demand upon the utilized storage capacity being above the lower end of the threshold range.
9 more elements
A method of performing load following of a power grid with a nuclear reactor system, the method comprising:
- monitoring a power demand of the power grid;
- monitoring a power output generated from a nuclear reactor;
- detecting a change in the power demand;
- causing an energy storage system to temporarily compensate for the change in the power demand;
- and
- adjusting the power output based on the change in the power demand, wherein the energy storage system is maintained within a threshold range of a total storage capacity, and wherein the method further comprises:
- monitoring a utilized storage capacity of the energy storage system;
- detecting that the utilized storage capacity is greater than an upper end of the threshold range;
- decreasing the power output generated by the nuclear reactor in response to detecting the utilized storage capacity being above the upper end of the threshold range, wherein the decreased power output is below the power demand of the power grid;
- suppling power from the energy storage system to compensate for the decrease in the power output;
- and
- increasing the power output generated by the nuclear reactor to meet the power demand upon the utilized storage capacity being below the upper end of the threshold range.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.