Keywords
Thermal Energy Storage, nuclear power, RELAP5-3D, Model Predictive Control, thermal hydraulics, nuclear licensing
Abstract
This research delves into the integration and control of a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system with a Small Modular Reactor (SMR), specifically the NuScale VOYGR SMR module in RELAP5-3D. The research methodology centered on modeling the NuScale VOYGR SMR, a light water pressurized water reactor (LWR) with a power output capacity of 77 MWe per module. The reactor and plant details were sourced from NuScale's final safety analysis report and supplemented by information from the NuScale website. The SMR plays a crucial role in energy generation, and to manage and dispatch the produced energy effectively, a robust storage system is essential. The proposed solution to this challenge is the implementation of the TES system. The selected TES for this research is a two-tank system. The study also employed Model Predictive Control (MPC) to optimize the operation of the TES system in conjunction with the SMR. Various simulations, including accident scenarios, were conducted to assess the system's response and performance. The research leveraged real energy demand data from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) database and scaled it to reflect the power generation of a single SMR. The findings suggest that while integrating a TES system with an SMR can enhance the performance compared to a standalone SMR, certain scenarios might exacerbate the total power mismatch. The study provides insights into the potential of integrating TES systems with nuclear reactors and the challenges and considerations involved.
Original Publication Citation
Jaron Wallace, John Hedengren, Kody Powell, Matthew Memmott, Model predictive control of a grid-scale Thermal Energy Storage system in RELAP5-3D, Progress in Nuclear Energy, Volume 177, 2024, 105410, ISSN 0149-1970, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2024.105410.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Wallace, Jaron; Hedengren, John; Powell, Kody; and Memmott, Matthew, "Model Predictive Control of a Grid-scale Thermal Energy Storage System in RELAP5-3D" (2024). Faculty Publications. 8236.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/8236
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2024-09-10
Publisher
Progress in Nuclear Energy
Language
English
College
Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
Department
Chemical Engineering
Copyright Status
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. This is the preprint version of this article. The definitive version can be found at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2024.105410.
Copyright Use Information
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