Coal to nuclear conversion can rapidly address 30% of CO2 emissions

Coal power is a major producer of global warming emissions Hoping that countries like China, India and Russia will act against their self-interest will not work. It is better to develop realistic solutions, like cleaning up coal.

China’s first HTR-PM (pebble bed) reactor will be completed in late 2017 and generate 210 MWe. It is expected to start commercial operation in late 2017. A proposal to construct two 600 MWe HTR plants – each featuring three twin reactor and turbine units – at Ruijin city in China’s Jiangxi province passed a preliminary feasibility review in early 2015. The design of the Ruijin HTRs is based on the smaller Shidaowan demonstration HTR-PM. Construction of the Ruijin reactors is expected to start next year, with grid connection in 2021.

The high temperature reactors can replace the coal burners at several hundred supercritical coal plants in China. The lead of the pebble bed project indicates that China plans to replace coal burners with high temperature nuclear pebble bed reactors.

HTR-PM are modular reactors that will be mainly factory mass produced. The first one is taking 6 years to make. The reactor module will head towards about two years to build when they are making them by the dozen.

Overall design of HTR-PM 600

Each NSSS module, identical to those in the demo plant in order to use proven engineering and realize standardization.
6 NSSS identical modules, coupled to one steam turbine for generation, forming one unit.
Maximally, auxiliary systems are shared by multiple modules.
Two unit at a single site.
Cogeneration is possible through steam extraction.

Technical advantages of HTR-PM 600

Inherent safety (no core meltdown) [fuel pebbles can be released by melting a passive plug when temperatures are too high. the pebbles then spread out and cool down below]
Capacity of emergency power supply system is small and allowed start-up time is longer
Elimination or simplification of emergency response, enhanced security
Simplicity: due to enhanced safety, safety-relates systems and auxiliary systems are eliminated or simplified.
Use beyond electricity generation: unique feature

The advantages of converting an existing coal power plant’s boilers to nuclear

Boiler Swapping Offers Many Economic and Speed Advantages.

Swapping just the power plant’s boiler preserves the power plant, its worker’s jobs, its operating permits, the plant’s access to cooling water, electrical grids and heavy transportation. What’s not to like from a deal like this?

The Advantages of Swapping Out Supersized Boilers: Supersized Power Plants are job one: 2% of the world’s 60,000 fossil fuel power plants, 1,200 supersized power plants, are making over 3/4 of coal’s Global Warming. The world will never be willing or able to provide much money for Global Warming mitigation. This will enable us to re-use everything else at the power plant – including an already experienced workforce – a strategy much wiser than building the equivalent amount of generating capacity in new windmills.

1. Most of the equipment and all of the grid connections and land are already paid for

2. Already wired to our cities – no grid transmission line construction or permitting needed

3. Already have cooling water

4. Already have access roads

5. Already have railroad tracks

6. Usually have ample land for several additional future units

7. No construction delays. The new nuclear power generator can be built while the coal plant continues to operate

8. Already have proven operators who know the equipment

China has about one third of the most polluting coal plants. Replacing those 400 coal plants would address 10% of CO2 emissions.

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