Study of Load Adjustment Strategy for Nuclear Power Units Focusing on Rankine Cycle: Flexibility–Environment–Economy

Lingkai Zhu, Wei Zheng, Wenxing Wang, Ziwei Zhong, Junshan Guo and Jiwei Song ()
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Lingkai Zhu: State Grid Shandong Electric Power Research Institute, Jinan 250003, China
Wei Zheng: State Grid Shandong Electric Power Research Institute, Jinan 250003, China
Wenxing Wang: Institute of Thermal Science and Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Ziwei Zhong: State Grid Shandong Electric Power Research Institute, Jinan 250003, China
Junshan Guo: State Grid Shandong Electric Power Research Institute, Jinan 250003, China
Jiwei Song: Institute of Thermal Science and Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: The demand for the power grid system’s capacity to undergo peak-shaving is increasing as the proportion of renewable energy rises. In China, nuclear power units usually only provide a base load operation in the view of safety and economic considerations, but they do not provide load adjustment services, which undoubtedly increases the pressure of grid load adjustment. In this paper, a novel flexibility load adjustment strategy of the CHP nuclear unit is studied, which is achieved by introducing the thermal storage tank (TST) into the Rankine cycle without changing the output of the nuclear reactor. The AP1000 pressurized water reactor nuclear power unit for combined heat and power is taken as an example, and the thermodynamic model is established through the water vapor equation. Furthermore, the reference system is simulated for the goal of minimizing the imbalance between power supply and demand, and the flexibility–environment–economy benefits are evaluated. The results show that the heat storage/release of the TST may achieve power output flexible adjustment of the nuclear unit, and the power imbalance of the reference energy system is reduced from 1107.99 MWh to 457.24 MWh, a reduction of 58.73%. The introduction of a 600 MWh TST can enable the reference unit to contribute 335 MWh of peak electricity within the reference day. From the perspective of replacing the power generation output increment of coal-fired power units with equal amounts, it can achieve a reduction of 106.09 tons of coal consumption in the case day, which means that 277.73 tons of CO 2 emissions can be reduced. The profit of the reference unit can be improved by CHY 70,125 via participating in load adjustment in the case day if following the time-of-use electricity price.

Keywords: combined heat and power; nuclear power; flexibility; thermal storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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