Convegni ATI - Accesso riservato soci CTI

Autore: D. Palmer, S. Kumar

Collana: BT - 34 - Mag 06 - Energy: production, distribution and conservation

Note:
Escalating energy demands, intensifying oil costs, global warming and national security concerns are compelling our engineering communities to find engineering solutions to help alleviate these concerns. This paper offers a proposal for a combined cycle power plant consisting of a helium cooled nuclear reactor combined with a solid oxide fuel cell. This combination provides positive thermodynamic and operating benefits to each side of the cycle and offers high overall efficiencies as detailed in the below technical discussion. Specifically, this paper focuses on the technical issues why the U.S. Nuclear Navy should consider researching and eventually adopting this combined cycle for the future electric vessels of the future. It is believed that once the Navy realizes the benefits associated with this design, the technology will become highly commercialised to help support the revitalization and growth of nuclear power. Moreover, the combination realizes critical operational benefits for the Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. It may also help to foster the development of a hydrogen economy prompted by the high efficiency, high temperature and near zero greenhouse gas emission of the Palmer Kumar Combined Cycle.