The use of high-temperature nuclear reactors in hydrogen production technologies

Abstract

The possibility of using high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors (HTGR) for hydrogen production as an alternative to organic fossil fuel is considered. An overview of modern technologies of hydrogen production and its advantages as an energy carrier was conducted. The structure of world production and consumption of hydrogen is given. The exceptional properties of hydrogen as an energy carrier and component of various technological processes reveal the prospect of its application in various fields of energy, transport and industry. If previously the main advantages of hydrogen were considered to be its energy intensity, ability to store and distribute, now and for the future the key factor is its environmental cleanliness and the ability to decarbonize transport, chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical industries and the utility sector. Currently, the majority of hydrogen and hydrogen-containing products are produced using steam conversion of natural gas. At the same time, 40...50% of natural gas is spent on the energy supply of the conversion process. In order to save natural gas and reduce the burden on the environment, methane steam conversion schemes with heat input from a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor have been developed. For conversion, a temperature level of 1000...1200 K is required. It is this temperature level that HTGR can provide. The proposed scheme of a multi-purpose nuclear power plant (MNPP) with a HTGR for the production of hydrogen during the steam conversion of natural gas and electricity generation and the main parameters of an MNPP with a HTGR with a thermal capacity of 3000 MW are calculated. A decrease in the consumption of natural gas was determined, comparable to the traditional technologies.