Improving the energy efficiency of npp

Abstract

The aim of this work is to analyze and estimate potential ways to improve the energy efficiency of nuclear power.The article describes the currently used and advanced thermodynamic cycles of nuclear power plants. The ways to improve the working fluid parameters in the NPP steam turbine circuit are given. It is done the thermodynamic estimation of the fast reactors NPP thermal efficiency improve by increasing the temperature of the coolant at the reactor core outlet and, accordingly, increase of the temperature and pressure of steam generated by the steam generator. The analysis of the efficiency of utilization of low potential heat from the NPP relief NPP with heat pumps was performed. Conclusions. The present level of power engineering development, the creation of effective high-temperature gas turbines and steam compressors allow to consider the possibility of achieving higher steam parameters at NPPs with traditional light water reactors without exceeding the permissible operating conditions of cores with cladding of zirconium alloy. The use of heat pumps in the main steam cooling system in order to improve the economic performance is not efficient. The estimation showed that using of heat pumps in the main turbine condenser circuit allows only to reduce thermal nuclear discharges into the environment. Disposal of low-grade heat from equipment cooling systems with heat pumps is an effective way to improve the efficiency of the NPP. This decreases the steam extraction from the unit circuit, resulting in an additional energy generation with the same production costs, and also reduces heat emissions to the environment.