Low-Temperature Heat from High-Temperature Reactors by Means of Nuclear Long-Distance Energy

An innovative energy transport system that uses a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) as an energy source is suitable for any distance and is favored for long distances. Further advantages include

1. no consumption of raw materials (apart from nuclear fuel)
2. very low environmental impact.

The purpose of the developmental work is to supply heat for district heating, process steam production, and electricity production. The basic idea of this system is

1. to convert the heat from an HTGR by means of a gaseous endothermic chemical process into chemical energy
2. to transport energy by the gaseous reactants at ambient temperatures
3. to release transported energy for consumption by reversing the chemical reaction
4. to return the products of the reverse reaction to the energy source.

Our theoretical and experimental investigations concentrate on the chemical cycle of “steam reforming of methane—methanation.”