Reimagining Our Energy FutureShannon Bragg-Sitton, Ph.D.

Co-Director, INL Integrated Energy Systems (IES) Laboratory Initiative

National Technical Director, Nuclear-Renewable IES, DOE Office of Nuclear Energy

Shannon.Bragg-Sitton@inl.gov October 2, 2019

Energy Reimagined

TodayElectricity-only focus

Small Modular

Reactors

Large Light Water

Reactors

Potential Future Energy SystemIntegrated grid system that leverages contributions from

nuclear fission beyond electricity sector

Advanced Reactors New Chemical Processes Clean Water

Hydrogen forVehicles and Industry

Industry

Heat

Flexible Generators v Advanced Processes v Revolutionary Design

Micro Reactors

Maximizing energy utilization, generator profitability, and grid reliability and resilience through novel systems integration and process design

Example Hybrid System: Hydrogen Production via Steam Electrolysis

1) Provides second source of revenue2) Provides energy storage, for electricity production or hydrogen user3) Provides opportunity for grid services; reserves and grid regulation

Projected maximum growth of U.S. hydrogen market by 2050 is 16X.• Chemicals and fuels synthesis• Steel manufacturing• Ammonia-based fertilizers

Taking Simulation to the Next Step: Hardware-in-the-loop Demonstration• Dynamic modeling, simulation and validation establishes a new paradigm for

operating current baseload LWRs, future SMRs and other advanced reactors– Establish the value proposition for flexible operations via hybrid systems– Optimize systems design, control and operational dispatch– Demonstrate economic flexible energy dispatch with nuclear baseload (reduce commercial risk)

• Complementary nonnuclear demonstration facility, electrically heated PWR emulation– Demonstrate steam maneuvering at a rapid rate between power generator and process applications – Quantify/Measure/Observe impact (reliability, operations, and maintainability) on electrically simulated

nuclear plant and systems integration components (heat exchangers, valves, pumps, pipes and fittings)– Demonstrate system sensors/measurements, data processing, and control logic (including human factors

systems, e.g. Human Systems Simulation Laboratory)– Validate thermal hydraulic codes used for complex integrated system design and scale-up of commercial

integrated systems

Electrically-Heated Integrated Systems Demonstration• Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL)

– DETAIL will consist of multiple heat and electricity producers, thermal and electrical storage, and multiple heat and electricity customers coupled via a thermal and electrical network

– The combined system will provide a demonstration of real-time integration with the electrical grid, renewable energy inputs, energy storage, and energy users

– Entire energy network can be simulated to understand how to optimize energy flows while maintaining stability and efficient operation of all assets in the system

• Components under development:– Microreactor Test Bed– Thermal energy distribution system (TEDS)– High Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) demonstration facility (hydrogen generation)– Real-time virtual linkage with multiple test facilities

Experimental Demonstration of Integrated Systems

Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL)

Objective: Demonstrate simultaneous, coordinated, controlled, and efficient multi-directional transient distribution of electricity and heat for power generation, storage, and industrial end uses.

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Data Links to DETAIL Components and Unit Operations:System-Level Controller to Unit-Level Controllers

Thermal Energy Distribution

System (TEDS)

Simulated Nuclear Reactor

ARTIST

ProgrammableHeating Elements

Steam or GasTurbine

Intermediate Heat Exch.

Thermal Energy Storage

DynomometerPower Grid

or Community Power

High Temperature Steam Electrolysis PowerConverter

Future Baseload Power Gen Capability

Chemicals / FuelsSynthesis

O2 H2

Storage

System Integration Lab Microgrid Components

Wind EV and BatteryCharging

Flow-ThroughChemical Batteries

PV SolarQ

QSET

CLR

S

R

Vin

GND

Vref

B1

B8

Sign

ENB

A/D Converter

Digital Real-TimeSimulator Stations

System Monitoring & Control

Other PowerGeneration Operations

Carbon FeedstocksCO2, Biomass

Natural Gas, Coal

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ElectricallyHeated Reactor Test Platform (planned)

Thermal Energy Distribution System

Putting the Integrated in IES

FastCharging

Thermal Energy Delivery System(in review for construction)

DistributedEnergy

SynthesisReactor

Energy Storage Vehicles Hydrogen Power SystemsGrid

EmulationHigh TempElectrolysis

WirelessCharging

Battery Testing(out of picture)

Systems Integration Lab

Energy Systems Laboratory

Leveraging Relevant Facilities in the DOE Complex• Systems Integration Laboratory• Human Systems Simulation

Laboratory• Fuels and Materials Development and

Testing• High Temperature Test Laboratory

(sensor development and testing)

INL Systems Integration Laboratory

INL Human Systems Simulation Laboratory

INL Materials and Fuels Complex

High Temperature Steam ElectrolysisTest Platform 9

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Image courtesy of GAIN and ThirdWay, inspired by Nuclear Energy Reimagined concept led by INL.

Download this and other energy park concept images at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thirdwaythinktank/sets/72157665372889289/