US 2026/0121573 A1 · HYBRID POWER GENERATION SYSTEM

Abstract

A hybrid power generation system which includes a nuclear facility comprising a nuclear reactor and an exclusion zone. A thermal energy storage, a nuclear steam supply system located, and a solar energy collection system are all located within the exclusion zone. The thermal energy storage vessel contains a thermal mass composition operable to store thermal energy. The nuclear steam supply system has a nuclear reactor and a working fluid loop. The working fluid loop is configured to circulate a working fluid from a steam generator through the thermal energy storage vessel to absorb thermal energy and heat the working fluid for introduction to an electricity generating system. The solar energy collection system includes a heat transfer loop heated via a solar collector. The heat transfer loop is configured to circulate a heated heat transfer fluid to add thermal energy to the thermal mass composition in the thermal energy storage vessel.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A hybrid power generation system comprising:

a nuclear facility comprising a nuclear reactor and an exclusion zone;
a thermal energy storage vessel located within the exclusion zone, the thermal energy storage vessel defining an internal space containing a thermal mass composition operable to store thermal energy;
a nuclear steam supply system located within the exclusion zone and comprising the nuclear reactor and a working fluid loop, the working fluid loop comprising a steam generator, and an electricity generating system, the working fluid loop configured to circulate a working fluid from the steam generator through the thermal energy storage vessel to absorb thermal energy from the thermal mass composition and heat the working fluid for introduction to the electricity generating system;
and
a solar energy collection system located within the exclusion zone and comprising a heat transfer loop including a first solar collector configured to absorb solar energy to heat a heat transfer fluid, the heat transfer loop configured to circulate the heated heat transfer fluid through the thermal energy storage vessel to add thermal energy to the thermal mass composition in the thermal energy storage vessel.

2 more elements

A hybrid power generation system comprising:

a thermal energy storage vessel defining an internal space containing a thermal mass composition operable to store thermal energy;
an alternative energy collection system configured to collect an alternative energy and transfer the alternative energy to the thermal mass composition in the thermal energy storage as thermal energy to heat the thermal mass composition;
a nuclear steam supply system comprising a nuclear reactor and a working fluid loop comprising a steam generator and an electricity generating system, the working fluid loop configured to circulate a working fluid and further comprising:
a flow splitter configured to divide flow of the working fluid downstream of the steam generator but upstream of the thermal energy storage vessel into a first working fluid stream and a second working fluid stream;
a first heat transfer line configured to:
(i) receive the first working fluid stream;
(ii) flow the first working fluid stream through the thermal energy storage vessel so that the first working fluid stream absorbs thermal energy from the thermal mass composition;
and (iii) deliver the first working fluid stream exiting the thermal energy storage vessel to the electricity generating system;
and
an auxiliary line configured to receive the second working fluid stream.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid power generation system

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Hybrid power generation system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23