scholarly journals Maintaining a Technology-Neutral Approach to Hydrogen Production Process Development Through Conceptual Design of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant

Author(s):  
Michael W. Patterson ◽  
Charles V. Park

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) charges the Department of Energy (DOE) with developing and demonstrating the technical and economic feasibility of using high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) technology for the production of electricity and/or hydrogen. The design, construction and demonstration of this technology in an HTGR proto-type reactor are termed the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project. Currently, parallel development of three hydrogen production processes will continue until a single process technology is recommended for final demonstration in the NGNP — a technology neutral approach. This analysis compares the technology neutral approach to acceleration of the hydrogen process downselection at the completion of the NGNP conceptual design to improve integration of the hydrogen process development and NGNP Project schedule. The accelerated schedule activities are based on completing evaluations and achieving technology readiness levels (TRLs) identified in NGNP systems engineering and technology roadmaps. The cost impact of accelerating the schedule and risk reduction strategies was also evaluated. The NGNP Project intends to design and construct a component test facility (CTF) to support testing and demonstration of HTGR technologies, including those for hydrogen production. The demonstrations will support scheduled design and licensing activities, leading to subsequent construction and operation of the NGNP. Demonstrations in the CTF are expected to start about two years earlier than similarly scaled hydrogen demonstrations planned in the technology neutral baseline. The schedule evaluation assumed that hydrogen process testing would be performed in the CTF and synchronized the progression of hydrogen process development with CTF availability.

Author(s):  
Vondell J. Balls ◽  
David S. Duncan ◽  
Stephanie L. Austad

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) and other High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) Projects require research, development, design, construction, and operation of a nuclear plant intended for both high-efficiency electricity production and high-temperature industrial applications, including hydrogen production. During the life cycle stages of an HTGR, plant systems, structures and components (SSCs) will be developed to support this reactor technology. To mitigate technical, schedule, and project risk associated with development of these SSCs, a large-scale test facility is required to support design verification and qualification prior to operational implementation. As a full-scale helium test facility, the Component Test facility (CTF) will provide prototype testing and qualification of heat transfer system components (e.g., Intermediate Heat Exchanger, valves, hot gas ducts), reactor internals, and hydrogen generation processing. It will perform confirmation tests for large-scale effects, validate component performance requirements, perform transient effects tests, and provide production demonstration of hydrogen and other high-temperature applications. Sponsored wholly or in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, the CTF will support NGNP and will also act as a National User Facility to support worldwide development of High-Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor technologies.


Author(s):  
Martin von Haartman ◽  
Samia Rahman ◽  
Satyaki Ganguly ◽  
Jai Verma ◽  
Ahmad Umair ◽  
...  

Abstract Resolution of optical fault isolation (FI) and nanoprobing tools needs to keep pace with the device downscaling to be effective for semiconductor process development. In this paper we present and discuss state-of-the-art FI and nanoprobing techniques evaluated on Intel test-chips fabricated on next generation process technology. Promising results were obtained but further improvements are necessary for the 7nm node and beyond.


Author(s):  
John M. Ryskamp ◽  
Edwin A. Harvego ◽  
Soli T. Khericha ◽  
Edward J. Gorski ◽  
George A. Beitel ◽  
...  

The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) prepared a functions and requirements (F&R) document for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project [1] The highest-level functions and requirements for the NGNP Project design are identified in the F&R document, which establishes performance definitions to be achieved by the NGNP. The requirements for the NGNP are based on the Generation IV roadmap [2] goals. Based on these requirements, NGNP designs will be developed by commercial vendor(s). Of the six most promising Generation IV nuclear energy systems, the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) is the nearest-term reactor concept that also has the capability to efficiently produce hydrogen. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the VHTR as the concept to demonstrate the use of nuclear power for electricity and hydrogen production without greenhouse gas emissions. This paper reviews the NGNP Project and the selection of the VHTR, then presents the NGNP functions and requirements.


Author(s):  
I. Al-Asmi ◽  
A. Vandel ◽  
G. Cabot ◽  
F. Grisch ◽  
V. Moureau ◽  
...  

The integration of graduate research in the training of engineering students has demonstrated a significant increase in learning efficiency, by giving them a practical experience with real industrial issues. The department of Energy and Propulsion of National Institute of Applied Sciences in Normandy, a French Engineering School, continues to implement the latest fully instrumented facilities in their field to initiate the students to inquiry-based education courses. In this type of education, they are carrying out a series of tests, learning how to handle equipment, control and monitor tests, extract results and ultimately analyze and present them in technical reports. This paper addresses how the Helicopter Annular Combustion Chamber test facility has been integrated in the Propulsion systems engineering course sequence. The Annular Combustion Chamber kindly provided by SAFRAN Helicopter Engines was progressively incorporated and instrumented in a dedicated test facility by the students themselves along the last 8 years. Now, this laboratory practical work offers the students the possibility to interactively learn about the operation of a combustion chamber inside a helicopter engine at various air/fuel flow rates. Students learn how to determine the limits of ignition/non-extinction as a function of the entry air-flow rate. In addition, this facility is equipped with high-level instrumentation that allows to measure the different flow rates, pressure, temperature inside and outside the annular chamber, and the pollutant emissions at the exit. Results provided by students help to build a comprehensive knowledge base of combustion phenomena inside a turbojet engine. It is to be mentioned that this educational facility is unique in its category, from the point of view of results accuracy, instrumentation level and realistic operating conditions.


1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 201-206
Author(s):  
I. Reilama ◽  
N. Ilomäki

Oy Metsä-Botnia Ab's Kaskinen mill produces ECF and TCF bleached softwood and hardwood pulp on a single continuous production line. Production capacity has been raised from 250,000 tonnes to 420,000 tonnes a year after the commission in 1977. The basic process solutions date mainly from the 1970s. However, process technology has been gradually modernised. With systematic and well-timed process development investments the mill has remained competitive and among frontrunners in terms of environmental protection. Today, Kaskinen represent the best available technology (BAT) applicable to old mills. Effluent loading in general and nutrient emissions in particular has diminished during the development projects of the mill. Comparison to other mills shows that as far as effluent emissions are concerned, Kaskinen is one of the best pulp mills in Finland and Scandinavia. In this presentation, Kaskinen is also compared to Metsä-Rauma, the first greenfield TCF mill in the world, which was started up in 1996. Kaskinen's pioneering work on TCF technology was used as a basis for process solutions in the Rauma greenfield project.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seedhabadee Ganeshan ◽  
Seon Hwa Kim ◽  
Vladimir Vujanovic

AbstractThe benefit of microorganisms to humans, animals, insects and plants is increasingly recognized, with intensified microbial endophytes research indicative of this realization. In the agriculture industry, the benefits are tremendous to move towards sustainable crop production and minimize or circumvent the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The research leading to the identification of potential plant endophytes is long and arduous and for many researchers the challenge is ultimately in scale-up production. While many of the larger agriculture and food industries have their own scale-up and manufacturing facilities, for many in academia and start-up companies the next steps towards production have been a stumbling block due to lack of information and understanding of the processes involved in scale-up fermentation. This review provides an overview of the fermentation process from shake flask cultures to scale-up and the manufacturing steps involved such as process development optimization (PDO), process hazard analysis (PHA), pre-, in- and post-production (PIP) challenges and finally the preparation of a technology transfer package (TTP) to transition the PDO to manufacturing. The focus is on submerged liquid fermentation (SLF) and plant endophytes production by providing original examples of fungal and bacterial endophytes, plant growth promoting Penicillium sp. and Streptomyces sp. bioinoculants, respectively. We also discuss the concepts, challenges and future perspectives of the scale-up microbial endophyte process technology based on the industrial and biosafety research platform for advancing a massive production of next-generation biologicals in bioreactors.


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