A session of the Council for Scientific Management and Coordination of Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Research and Development
Prospects for development of the nuclear-hydrogen energy industry. At 3 p.m., June 27, the building of the RAS Presidium hosted a session of the Council for Scientific Management and Coordination of Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Research and Development discussing he "Scientific and technical problems of development of nuclear-hydrogen complexes based on high-temperature gas-cooled reactors". The Council emphasized that the cardinal solution to the problem of the near-future energy industry is connected with the development and implementation of the nuclear-hydrogen energy industry (NHEE) concept providing for large-scale production of two energy sources - hydrogen and electric energy - instead of the current sole source, on the base of new-generation high-temperature nuclear reactors. This nuclear-hydrogen complex using high-temperature reactors will provide more economical solutions to the problems of nuclear fuel conversion with a closed nuclear fuel cycle.
Such reactors, in combination with thermal-chemical conversion processes, may be widely used as a source of high-grade heat not only for hydrogen production, but also for heat and energy supply to various far-from-nuclear-reactor facilities through long-distance catalytic thermal transmission of its energy almost without losses.
The experience acquired in the development, construction and operation of experimental and pilot high-temperature helium-cooled reactors (HTGRs) demonstrates the absence of any obstacles to their creation that would be impossible to overcome. Other countries have already begun developing commercial HTGRs and are actively engaged in research and experimental adjustment of thermal-chemical processes of obtaining hydrogen out of water with the use of high-temperature heat.
For several years, the Kurchatov Institute, responsible for scientific management, and Afrikantov OKBM, engaged in the design of systems, together with other Russian and US companies, have conducted R&D related to this kind of reactor (Gas Turbine - Modular Helium reactor) designed for production of electric energy and, in the future, hydrogen energy with the use of thermal-chemical cycles and high-temperature water electrolysis.
The principal advantages of this reactor as compared with existing reactors are as follows: - high efficiency of electric energy production thanks to use of a direct gas-turbine cycle - generation of high-grade heat that can be used for effective production of hydrogen, provision of commercial catalytic thermal methane conversion for the petrochemical, metallurgical and other energy-intensive industries - improved safety - efficient use of nuclear fuel in uranium-plutonium and thorium-uranium cycles, etc. The use of high-grade heat and new principles of energy accumulation based on high- temperature gas-cooled reactors may help create high-performance nuclear power plants operating according to any variable load schedule with constant nuclear reactor capacity.
Since innovative hydrogen and nuclear technologies are of special national importance with respect to the country's energy security, the Council finds it advisable to start the For several years, the Kurchatov Institute, responsible for scientific management, and Afrikantov OKBM, engaged in the design of systems, together with other Russian and US companies, have conducted R&D related to this kind of reactor (Gas Turbine – Modular Helium reeactor) designed for production of electric energy and, in the future, hydrogen energy with the use of thermal-chemical cycles and high-temperature water electrolysis.
The principal advantages of this reactor as compared with existing reactors are as follows:
- high efficiency of electric energy production thanks to use of a direct gas-turbine cycle
-generation of high-grade heat that can be used for effective production of hydrogen,
provision of commercial catalytic thermal methane conversion for the petrochemical,
metallurgical and other energy-intensive industries
- improved safety
- efficient use of nuclear fuel in uranium-plutonium and thorium-uranium cycles, etc.
The use of high-grade heat and new principles of energy accumulation based on high- temperature gas-cooled reactors may help create high-performance nuclear power plants operating according to any variable load schedule with constant nuclear reactor capacity.
Since innovative hydrogen and nuclear technologies are of special national importance with respect to the country’s energy security, the Council finds it advisable to start the comprehensive system development of the Conceptual Design of the Nuclear-Hydrogen Facility (NHF) based on a high-temperature gas- соoled reactor for production of hydrogen, electric energy and high-grade heat for energy-intensive industries and industrial facilities,
housing and utility services providers, and the social sphere.
In this connection, the Council finds it advisable to submit to management of the Federal Agency for Nuclear Power (Rosatom) a request to consider the inclusion of work related to the Conceptual Design of the Nuclear-Hydrogen Facility (NHF) based on a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in the target-oriented federal program of development and creation of new nuclear energy sources, and consider the participation of Rosatom engineering and design institutions in work related to the said Conceptual Design.
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14.12.2006, 2759 просмотров.