A TECHNO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A CHEMICAL-ABSORPTION HEAT PUMP FOR UPGRADING NUCLEAR PROCESS HEAT IN AN INTEGRATED ENERGY SYSTEM

A techno-economic analysis is conducted to compare the profitability of an advanced small modular reactor selling electricity and the same reactor integrated with a chemical-absorption heat pump to enable sales of electricity and high-temperature process heat. When electricity prices are low, selling heat may be more profitable. Payback period, net present worth, discounted cash flow rate of return, and levelized cost of energy were estimated over a wide range of economic and technical assumptions. The capital cost of the system was found using component cost curves and vendor quotations. The results indicate added economic resilience to electricity price fluctuations if carbon tax rates are high and capital costs are low. The capital cost of the chemical-absorption heat pump is high due to the chemical beds which require large heat transfer areas to compensate for poor heat transfer characteristics. If this heat transfer resistance can be improved through additives or reactor design, and the chemical-absorption heat pump is sized appropriately, an increase in profitability and electric utility price resilience can be achieved.