scholarly journals Small Nuclear Reactor—Nordic District Heating Case Study

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antti Teräsvirta ◽  
Sanna Syri ◽  
Pauli Hiltunen

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have been recognized to have potential in decarbonizing district heating, which is currently an urgent sustainability challenge in many European countries. In this paper, the financial impacts of replacing peat and biomass-powered Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants with heat-only reactors of 24–200 MW power range and maximum output temperatures of 120 °C are studied. A district heating system of a medium-sized Nordic city in Eastern Finland is modeled with EnergyPRO computer software (EMD International A/S, Aalborg, Denmark), which is used to optimize plant units’ production for cost effectiveness. A future scenario is used to predict electricity prices, expenditures from CO2 emission allowances, and fuel prices for the studied case. Results show that the low operating expenditures of CO2 free heat-only reactors would compensate for the revenue losses from electricity sales and that a small number of micro reactors, with power output in the tens of megawatts range each, would be optimal for the studied case. Since investment cost estimates for SMRs still bear significant uncertainties, the subject should be followed in further studies, as heat-only SMRs could provide a profitable alternative for current CHP production in the future.

Author(s):  
Anna Volkova ◽  
Vladislav Mashatin ◽  
Aleksander Hlebnikov ◽  
Andres Siirde

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to offer a methodology for the evaluation of large district heating networks. The methodology includes an analysis of heat generation and distribution based on the models created in the TERMIS and EnergyPro software Data from the large-scale Tallinn district heating system was used for the approbation of the proposed methodology as a basis of the case study. The effective operation of the district heating system, both at the stage of heat generation and heat distribution, can reduce the cost of heat supplied to the consumers. It can become an important factor for increasing the number of district heating consumers and demand for the heat load, which in turn will allow installing new cogeneration plants, using renewable energy sources and heat pump technologies


Resources ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Ravina ◽  
Deborah Panepinto ◽  
Mariachiara Zanetti

The minimization of negative externalities is a key aspect in the development of a circular and sustainable economic model. At the local scale, especially in urban areas, externalities are generated by the adverse impacts of air pollution on human health. Local air quality policies and plans often lack of considerations and instruments for the quantification and evaluation of external health costs. Support for decision-makers is needed, in particular during the implementation stage of air quality plans. Modelling tools based on the impact pathway approach can provide such support. In this paper, the implementation of health impacts and externalities analysis in air quality planning is evaluated. The state of the art in European member states is reported, considering whether and how health effects have been included in the planning schemes. The air quality plan of the Piemonte region in Italy is then considered. A case study is analyzed to evaluate a plan action, i.e., the development of the district heating system in the city of Turin. The DIATI (Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Ambiente, del Territorio e delle Infrastrutture) Dispersion and Externalities Model (DIDEM model) is applied to detect the scenario with the highest external cost reduction. This methodology results are extensible and adaptable to other actions and measures, as well as other local policies in Europe. The use of health externalities should be encouraged and integrated into the present methodology supporting air quality planning. Efforts should be addressed to quantify and minimize the overall uncertainty of the process.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2163-2176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christos Ioakimidis ◽  
Sesil Koutra ◽  
Ali Bagheri ◽  
Konstantinos Genikomsakis

The present work examines the supply of heating and electricity to the Spanish village of Uruena, using biomass and other local renewable sources as a result of the growing interest worldwide towards the development of sustainable and energy independent small communities. Specifically, this case study considers the design of a district heating system consisting of a solar heating plant, a biomass plant using straw as a sustainable fuel for the base load and an oil boiler for the peak load, coupled with a hot water tank as a thermal energy storage option. Two alternative scenarios are analyzed for electricity generation purposes, namely a system consisting of three small wind turbines and a system with a single large wind turbine. The results show that the cost of large-scale electricity storage depends on the application and often involves significant capital investments.


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