Solar-nuclear hybrid power plant
AssigneeThe Babcock & Wilcox Company
InventorsBartev B Sakadjian, William A Arnold, David L Kraft
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar-nuclear hybrid plant includes a nuclear energy loop, a solar energy loop, and an electrical generation loop. The three loops are closed loops. The nuclear energy loop transfers energy to the electrical generation loop through a steam generator. The solar energy loop transfers energy to either the nuclear energy loop and/or the electrical generation loop through one or more heat exchangers in the appropriate loop. This cogeneration plant has higher efficiency compared to a nuclear power plant alone.
Claims20
A solar-nuclear hybrid electrical generation plant, comprising:
- a nuclear energy loop including a primary fluid that runs through a nuclear reactor, a steam generator downstream of the nuclear reactor, and a primary water heater located between the nuclear reactor and the steam generator;
- a solar energy loop including a heat transfer fluid that runs through a solar receiver and the primary water heater downstream of the solar receiver;
- and
- an electrical generation loop including a secondary fluid that runs through the steam generator of the nuclear energy loop and at least one turbine downstream of the steam generator;
- wherein heat energy is transferred from the heat transfer fluid in the solar energy loop to the primary fluid in the nuclear energy loop.
A solar-nuclear hybrid electrical generation plant, comprising:
- a nuclear energy loop including a primary fluid that runs through a nuclear reactor and a steam generator downstream of the nuclear reactor;
- a solar energy loop including a heat transfer fluid that runs through a solar receiver and two or more heat exchangers downstream of the solar receiver;
- and
- an electrical generation loop including a secondary fluid that runs through the steam generator of the nuclear energy loop, a higher pressure turbine stage downstream of the steam generator, and a lower pressure turbine stage downstream of the higher pressure turbine stage;
- wherein solar energy is transferred from the heat transfer fluid to the primary fluid or the secondary fluid through the two or more heat exchangers;
- and
- wherein one of the two or more heat exchangers is a primary water heater located in the nuclear energy loop downstream of the nuclear reactor and upstream of the steam generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.