R&D EFFORT ON NUCLEAR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY IN CHINA

Yuliang Sun, Jingming Xu, Zuoyi Zhang

Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology

Third Information exchange Meeting on Nuclear Hydrogen Production, 4-7 October 2005, JAERI, Japan

Presentation OutlineIntroductionNuclear Reactor Development

HTR-10 HTR-10GTHTR-PMProcess Heat Modular HTGR

R&D of Nuclear H2 Production TechnologyCurrent activitiesR&D program on Process-heat HTR (PHTR)R&D program on H2 production technology

Introduction: Projected Energy Demand 2020 and beyond

The total energy demand in 2020 will range 2500-3300Mtce and power generation will reach 860-1000 GW in terms of different scenarios

In 2050 the total energy demand will be beyond 5000Mtce

The per capita energy will increase to 2tce in 2020 and 3tce in 2050 compared to 1tce in 2000

Introduction: Challenges Energy Sector

Recent challengesSharp increase in primary energy consumptionSharp increase in oil consumption and oil importSevere shortage of electric supply in recent years

Long term challengesEnergy securityEnergy efficiency improvementEnvironment issues

Introduction: Facing the Challenges

Energy saving enhancement and energy efficiency improvement technologiesClean coal exploitation and utilization technologiesOil security supporting system technologiesAdvanced nuclear energy technologiesAdvanced reliable power transmission and distribution systemsTechnologies of large-scale deployment of renewable energy facilitiesHydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

HTR-10

II

HTR-10

HTR-10 Key Milestones

Mar. 1992: HTR-10 project formally approved by governmentJun. 1995: First concrete of reactor buildingApr. 2000: Reactor internals and RPV upper head installedMay 2000: Turbine-generator systems installedDec. 2000: Initial criticality reachedJan. 2003: Full power operationSince Jan. 2003: operation, experiments, safety demonstration

HTR-10: Full Power OperationDesign Operation

Reactor thermal power MW 10 10.22Electrical power MW 2.5 2.49Primary helium pressure MPa 3.0 2.93Helium temperature at core outlet

°C 700 700.1

Helium temperature at core inlet °C 250 236.2Primary helium flow rate kg/s 4.3 3.99Main steam pressure MPa 3.5 3.45Main steam temperature °C 435 430Feed water temperature °C 104 100Feed water flow rate kg/s 3.49 3.56

HTR-10: Safety Experiments

ATWS Loss of flow

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ATWS Rod withdrawal

HTR-10GT

He Blower

ST

HTR-10

SG

700/3.0 435/3.43

250/0.5

G

Heating grid

Deoxidiser

LP Heater

Condenser

250/3.04

104/6.1

Cooling Tower

2.5MW

1 2a 2b 2 3 4 5 6

P/MPa 0.669 1.057 1.025 1.62 1.59 1.56 0.6931 0.6822

T/ºC 35.2 108.3 35.5 108.7 330 750 497.8 278.3

HTR-10GT key components under fabrication

HTR-PMParameters Value and Unit

Thermal power 380 MWElectrical power 160 MWEfficiency 42 %Core diameter 400 cmCore height 930 cmNumber of fuels 460000 Spheres

Avg. burn up 80000 MWD/tU

Helium inlet T. 250 ℃Helium outlet T. 750 ℃Helium pressure 7.0 MPaSG feed-water T. 205 ℃Steam T. turbine inlet 535 ℃Steam P. turbine inlet 13.5 MPaSteam T. reheater inlet 370 ℃Steam T. reheater outlet 535 ℃Steam P. reheater inlet 3.5 MPa

HTR-PMSupport by central government:

State Development and Reform CommissionChina Atomic Energy AgencyMinistry of Science and Technology

Involvement of industries:

Power generating companyNuclear construction industryManufacturing industryDesign institute

Current status: feasibility study

Process-heat HTR

1980’s:

Heavy oil recovery Cogeneration plant for petro-chemical complex

1990’s:

IAEA CRP on HTTR heat utilization systemsIHX analysis and designSteam CH4 reforming simulation and experimental studies

Currently, process heat HTR R&D program being proposed, for H2 production and other applications

Process-heat HTR

A proposal is being made to MOST to start a nuclear hydrogen program from 2006:

R&D program on Process-heat HTR (PHTR)PHTR design studies (2006-2010)Development of PHTR key technologies (2010-2015)Demonstration of key technologies and preparation of demonstration plant project (2015-2020)Industrial demonstration project (beyond 2020)

R&D on H2 production technology

INET is conducting preliminary studies on hydrogen production technologies:

I-S chemical splitting processhigh temperature electrolysis process

R&D on nuclear H2 production technology

A proposal is being made to MOST to start a nuclear hydrogen program from 2006:

R&D program on H2 production technologyProcess R&D of I-S splitting process and high temperature electrolysis (2006-2008).Erection of laboratory scale test rig aiming at a hydrogen production rate of about 100 l/h (2008-2010).Experiments using the erected test-rig and design of a prototype facility, coupled to HTR-10 (2010-2015).Construction and operation of the prototype facility. Preparation of a demonstration plant project (2015-2020)Industrial scale demonstration of nuclear hydrogen production (2020 and after)

R&D on H2 production technology

China’s government puts hydrogen economy on the list to address the challenges of the energy sector. Early 2005, a workshop was organized to discuss related issues of a hydrogen economy. The INET proposal for a nuclear hydrogen R&D program is expected to be very likely supported.

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