HTGR APPLICATION FOR SHALE OIL RECOVERY R. N. Quade and R. Rao GA Technologies Inc. P. 0. Box 85608 San Diego, CA 92138 ABSTRACT The High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) utilizes a graphite-moderated core and helium as pri mary coolant. Developed for electric power produc tion, the 842-MW(t) [330-MW(e)] Fort St. Vrain plant is currently operating at Platteville, Colorado. Studies have been performed that couple steam pro duced at 540C (1000F) and 17 MPa (2500 psia) to two oil shale processes: the Paraho indirect retorting and the Marathon direct steam retorting. The plant, consisting of two 1170-MW(t) HTGR's, would also pro duce electric power for other shale operations. Results show economic and environmental advantages for the coupling. INTRODUCTION The HTGR is an advanced, high-efficiency reactor system that can play a vital role in meeting the future energy needs of the nation by contributing not only to the generation of electric power but also to the industrial and commercial energy sectors tradi tionally served by fossil fuels. Designed and developed by GA Technologies Inc. , the HTGR is a refinement of the gas-cooled reactor approach developed in Europe beginning in 1956. Thirty-nine gas-cooled reactors in eight countries have accumulated operating experience that accounts for a quarter of worldwide nuclear-generated elec tricity. While these reactors differ in many respects from the HTGR, they have proved the gas- cooling concept as well as major components similar to those used in the HTGR. In the U.S., the 40-MW(e) Peach Bottom 1 proto type reactor successfully demonstrated the basic characteristics of the HTGR with over seven years of commercial operation on the system of Philadelphia Electric (1967-1974) (Ref. 1). The 330-MW(e) Fort St. Vrain demonstration reactor at Platteville, Colo rado, 35 miles northwest of Denver, has been generat ing electric power on the Public Service of Colorado system since 1976. In November 1981 it achieved suc cessful full-power operation with all plant systems and components performing at or near design condi tions. This reactor produces steam at 538C (1000F) and 17 MPa (2500 psia) with reheat to 538C (1000F) and 4 MPa (600 psia) (Ref. 2). Based upon the fea tures of the Fort St. Vrain design, larger plants for electric power production were designed. More recently other applications where electricity is not the prime product have been examined. In many of these areas , the light water reactors cannot compete because they cannot provide energy at the required temperature. Most energy-intensive industrial processes require considerable process steam and electric power. Cogeneration of electric power and process steam is an advantageous blending of two well- developed technologies, with a resultant increase in overall energy utilization. The cogenerating HTGR steam cycle system (HTGR-SC/C) is well suited to per form this service. The energy requirements for a complete inte grated oil shale facility include heat to retort the shale, hydrogen to upgrade the kerogen, and steam and electricity for overall plant operation. The higher- temperature process heat version of the HTGR can pro vide all of these functions, but it must be recog nized that considerable development effort will be required before commercial versions of this system can be offered. Another paper presented at this con ference (Ref. 3) discusses a method of coupling the process heat HTGR to an oil shale facility. This paper shows how the steam cycle HTGR can be used with an indirect retorting process and a direct steam retorting process. If there is large scale expansion of the oil shale industry in the tri-state area, large amounts of electricity will also be needed. In addition to the process energy, the HTGR can provide electricity for other oil shale opera tions without adding fossil pollutants to the atmos phere. This concept will add a very economical source of electricity to power the industry while minimizing the on-site use of product fuel. HTGR DESCRIPTION To maximize the advantage of scale while also 325
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
HTGR APPLICATION FOR SHALE OIL RECOVERY
R. N. Quade and R. Rao
GA Technologies Inc.
P. 0. Box 85608
San Diego, CA 92138
ABSTRACT
The High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR)
utilizes a graphite-moderated core and helium as pri
mary coolant. Developed for electric power produc
tion, the 842-MW(t) [330-MW(e)] Fort St. Vrain plant
is currently operating at Platteville, Colorado.
Studies have been performed that couple steam pro
duced at 540C (1000F) and 17 MPa (2500 psia) to two
oil shale processes: the Paraho indirect retorting
and the Marathon direct steam retorting. The plant,
consisting of two 1170-MW(t) HTGR's, would also pro
duce electric power for other shale operations.
Results show economic and environmental advantages
for the coupling.
INTRODUCTION
The HTGR is an advanced, high-efficiency reactor
system that can play a vital role in meeting the
future energy needs of the nation by contributing not
only to the generation of electric power but also to
the industrial and commercial energy sectors tradi
tionally served by fossil fuels.
Designed and developed by GA Technologies Inc. ,
the HTGR is a refinement of the gas-cooled reactor
approach developed in Europe beginning in 1956.
Thirty-nine gas-cooled reactors in eight countries
have accumulated operating experience that accounts
for a quarter of worldwide nuclear-generated elec
tricity. While these reactors differ in many
respects from the HTGR, they have proved thegas-
cooling concept as well as major components similar
to those used in the HTGR.
In the U.S., the 40-MW(e) Peach Bottom 1 proto
type reactor successfully demonstrated the basic
characteristics of the HTGR with over seven years of
commercial operation on the system of Philadelphia
Electric (1967-1974) (Ref. 1). The 330-MW(e) Fort
St. Vrain demonstration reactor at Platteville, Colo
rado, 35 miles northwest of Denver, has been generat
ing electric power on the Public Service of Colorado
system since 1976. In November 1981 it achieved suc
cessful full-power operation with all plant systems
and components performing at or near design condi
tions. This reactor produces steam at 538C (1000F)
and 17 MPa (2500 psia) with reheat to 538C (1000F)
and 4 MPa (600 psia) (Ref. 2). Based upon the fea
tures of the Fort St. Vrain design, larger plants for
electric power production were designed. More
recently other applications where electricity is not
the prime product have been examined. In many of
these areas,the light water reactors cannot compete
because they cannot provide energy at the required
temperature.
Most energy-intensive industrial processes
require considerable process steam and electric
power. Cogeneration of electric power and process
steam is an advantageous blending of twowell-
developed technologies, with a resultant increase in
overall energy utilization. The cogenerating HTGR
steam cycle system (HTGR-SC/C) is well suited to per
form this service.
The energy requirements for a complete inte
grated oil shale facility include heat to retort the
shale, hydrogen to upgrade the kerogen, and steam and
electricity for overall plant operation. The higher-
temperature process heat version of the HTGR can pro
vide all of these functions, but it must be recog
nized that considerable development effort will be
required before commercial versions of this system
can be offered. Another paper presented at this con
ference (Ref. 3) discusses a method of coupling the
process heat HTGR to an oil shale facility.
This paper shows how the steam cycle HTGR can be
used with an indirect retorting process and a direct
steam retorting process. If there is large scale
expansion of the oil shale industry in the tri-state
area, large amounts of electricity will also be
needed. In addition to the process energy, the HTGR
can provide electricity for other oil shale opera
tions without adding fossil pollutants to the atmos
phere. This concept will add a very economical
source of electricity to power the industry while
minimizing the on-site use of product fuel.
HTGR DESCRIPTION
To maximize the advantage of scale while also
325
providing a range of plant sizes, a modular design
approach has been adopted for the HTGR-SC/C. An
1170-MW(t) plant has two steam generator/helium cir
culator loops, a 2240-MW(t) plant has four loops, and
a 3360-MW(t) plant has six loops.
The arrangement of an HTGR is shown in Figure 1.
The helium coolant flows downward through the central
core region, where it is heated to about 700C
(1290F). It passes radially outward to the primary
loop lower cross ducts and then flows through the
once-through steam generators, each consisting of a
helical coil economizer-evaporator-superheater region
and a straight tube superheater, where 17.3 MPa,
541C (2515 psia, 1005F) steam is produced. The gas
then is compressed in vertically mounted,single-
stage centrifugal circulators driven by synchronous
variable speed electric motors and returned through