A method, system, and apparatus for the thermal storage of nuclear reactor generated energy including diverting a selected portion of energy from a portion of a nuclear reactor system to an auxiliary thermal reservoir and, responsive to a shutdown event, supplying a portion of the diverted selected portion of energy to an energy conversion system of the nuclear reactor system.

A system and a method are provided that may be used to control the temperature of steam being reheated by a moisture separator reheater (MSR). One embodiment provides a system including a steam turbine, a moisture separator reheater coupled to the steam turbine, and a controller programmed to control a temperature of steam leaving the moisture separator reheater based at least in part on sensor feedback. The controller is programmed to facilitate substantially smooth linear temperature ramping.

A power generation system and related method for repowering a fossil-fueled power plant using a carbon-free nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) which replaces the existing fossil plant steam generator which burns fossil fuel such as coal, oil, or natural gas. The existing fossil plant energy conversion system including the turbine-generator (turbogenerator) and auxiliary components of the Rankine cycle is retained. The NSSS may include a small modular reactor (SMR) unit comprising a reactor vessel with nuclear fuel core and steam generator which receives heated primary coolant from the reactor to produce main steam to operate the Rankine cycle. The main steam output by the SMR unit is compressed in a steam compressor to increase its pressure to a level necessary to operate the turbogenerator. The compressor may be operated via a portion of the main steam. An intercooler of the compressor may be used for main steam reheating.

A pressure vessel having a diameter greater than or equal to 1 m and made by laser cladding an inner surface of the vessel, the laser cladding following a helical path.

A system and a method are provided that may be used to control the temperature of steam being reheated by a moisture separator reheater (MSR). One embodiment provides a system including a steam turbine, a moisture separator reheater coupled to the steam turbine, and a controller programmed to control a temperature of steam leaving the moisture separator reheater based at least in part on sensor feedback. The controller is programmed to facilitate substantially smooth linear temperature ramping.

A low energy nuclear thermoelectric system for a vehicle which provides a cost-effective and sustainable means of transportation for long operation range with zero emission using an onboard low energy nuclear reaction thermal generator. The present invention generally includes a thermal generator within a thermal enclosure case, an energy conversion system linked with the thermal generator, an energy storage system linked with the energy conversion system, a cooling system and a central control system. The thermal generator reacts nickel powder with hydrogen within a reactor chamber to produce heat. The heat is then transferred to the energy conversion system to be converted into electricity for storage in the energy storage system. The cooling system provides cooling for the various components of the present invention and the control system regulates its overall operation. The present invention may be utilized to power a vehicle in an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective manner.

A refrigeration cycle is connected to a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power cycle by incorporating a CO2 condenser which is also the refrigeration cycle evaporator. The heat rejected by the carbon dioxide is absorbed by the refrigerant in the CO2 condenser. Work is done on the refrigerant to raise its temperature above the local ambient temperature. The heat absorbed from the power cycle and the work required to raise the refrigerant temperature is rejected to the ambient environment, which may be either air, earth, or water. This results in improved efficiencies in carbon dioxide power cycles without regard to the ambient temperature by forcing a transcritical phase change even when ambient temperatures are above the carbon dioxide critical point. A two-phase heat transfer on both sides of the CO2 condenser further improves efficiency of the sCO2 power cycle.

This invention relates to a unique cycle for generating electricity at high efficiency and with zero carbon emissions. The cycle's fundamental energy carrier is hydrogen (H2), with H2 undergoing each unit process in the cycle either within water (H2O) molecules or as H2 gas. The heat source driving the cycle, through generation of steam, is a small nuclear reactor known in the industry as a small modular reactor (SMR). This steam's primary purpose is to provide the feed source for H2 production, which occurs in an Underground Coal Gasifier (UCG). The invention's high generation efficiency, accompanied by zero carbon emissions, derive from the UCG's steam/coal reactions and from conversion of the H2 into electricity by solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These SOFCs produce, as their only waste stream, pure H2O. This H2O is then fed back for steam generation using the SMR's heat, which re-initiates the cycle. All unit processes use proven, commercially available technologies. The invention is directly applicable to any location where significant coal deposits exist.