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US-12623903-B2 - Nuclear reactor-based systems, methods, and devices for energy production and carbon dioxide (CO2) capture

US12623903B2US 12623903 B2US12623903 B2US 12623903B2US-12623903-B2

Abstract

An integrated energy system comprising a power plant configured to generate steam. The power plant can include a nuclear reactor and/or an electrical power generation system. A chemical products generation system can include a first reaction chamber receiving Sodium Formate (HCOONa) that, via insertion of a first portion of the steam at a first temperature, is decomposed into Sodium Oxalate ((COO) 2 Na 2 ) and Hydrogen (H 2 ), the steam including super-heated steam. The chemical products generation system can include a second reaction chamber receiving the Sodium Oxalate ((COO) 2 Na 2 ) that, via insertion of a second portion of the steam at a second temperature, is decomposed into Sodium Oxide (Na 2 O), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ). A syngas generation system can be operably coupled to the chemical products generation system and configured to generate a combination of the Hydrogen (H 2 ), the Carbon Monoxide (CO), and/or the Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ), and/or to generate syngas.

Inventors

  • Francis Y. Tsang
  • José N. Reyes, Jr.
  • Luis DePavia

Assignees

  • NUSCALE POWER, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20240315

Claims (12)

  1. 1 . An integrated energy system comprising: a power plant including at least one nuclear reactor and an electrical power generation system, the at least one nuclear reactor being configured to generate steam; a syngas generation system operably coupled to the power plant, the syngas generation system comprising: a first reaction chamber receiving Sodium Formate (HCOONa) that, via injection of a first portion of the steam at a first temperature, is decomposed into Sodium Oxalate ((COO) 2 Na 2 ) and Hydrogen (H 2 ), and a second reaction chamber receiving the Sodium Oxalate ((COO) 2 Na 2 ) that, via injection of a second portion of the steam at a second temperature, is decomposed into Sodium Oxide (Na 2 O), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide, the steam including super-heated steam; and a methanol generation system operably coupled to the syngas generation system, the methanol generation system configured to utilize a combination of the Hydrogen (H 2 ), the Carbon Monoxide (CO), and the carbon dioxide to generate Methanol (CH 3 OH).
  2. 2 . The integrated energy system of claim 1 , wherein the methanol generation system is a synthesis chamber configured to combine the Hydrogen (H 2 ), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide to generate Methanol (CH 3 OH).
  3. 3 . The integrated energy system of claim 1 , wherein the syngas generation system is further configured to generate Hydrogen (H 2 ), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide by processing plastic waste.
  4. 4 . The integrated energy system of claim 1 , wherein the syngas generation system utilizes a sodium formate generation system, wherein the sodium formate generation system includes seawater desalination, a Chlor-Alkali Membrane process, a direct air capture process, and a formic acid treatment process.
  5. 5 . A system for Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) production, the system comprising: a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) power plant system configured to supply steam; a first reaction chamber configured to receive Sodium Formate (HCOONa), receive, from the SMR power plant system, a first portion of the steam at a first temperature, and supply Sodium Oxalate ((COO) 2 Na 2 ) and Hydrogen (H 2 ); and a second reaction chamber configured to receive the Sodium Oxalate ((COO) 2 Na 2 ), receive, from the SMR power plant system, a second portion of the steam at a second temperature, and supply Sodium Oxide (Na 2 O); Carbon Monoxide (CO); and Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ).
  6. 6 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising: a synthesis chamber configured to receive, from the first reaction chamber, Hydrogen (H 2 ), receive, from the second reaction chamber, the Carbon Monoxide (CO), the Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ), and receive a catalyst to induce catalysis for Methanol (CH 3 OH) production.
  7. 7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the steam comprises super-heated steam with the first temperature being within a range of between 300° C.-350° C.
  8. 8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the second portion of the steam comprises super-heated steam with the second temperature being at least 800° C.
  9. 9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the SMR power plant system is further configured to supply a third portion of the steam at a third temperature within a range of 200° C.-300° C., further comprising, a synthesis chamber configured to receive the Hydrogen (H 2 ), the Carbon Monoxide (CO), the Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ), and a catalyst to induce catalysis for Methanol (CH 3 OH) production.
  10. 10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the first reaction chamber includes a first rotating spiral, the second reaction chamber includes a second rotating spiral, and the first reaction chamber is separated from the second reaction chamber by an airtight chamber.
  11. 11 . The system of claim 6 , further wherein: the synthesis chamber configured to produce: one mole of first Methanol (CH 3 OH) produced by a reaction between one mole of the carbon dioxide and three moles of the Hydrogen (H 2 ); one mole of water produced by a reaction between one mole of the Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) and three moles of the Hydrogen (H 2 ); one mole of Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) produced by a reaction between one mole of the Carbon Monoxide (CO) and one mole of the water; one mole of second Hydrogen (H 2 ) produced by a reaction between one mole of the Carbon Monoxide (CO) and one mole of the water; and one mole of second Methanol (CH 3 OH) produced by a reaction between one mole of the Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) and two moles of the Hydrogen (H 2 ).
  12. 12 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the first reaction chamber, the second reaction chamber, and the synthesis chamber are located on a same production site as the small modular nuclear reactor power plant.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/453,032 filed Mar. 17, 2023 and titled “SMALL MODULAR NUCLEAR REACTOR INTEGRATED ENERGY SYSTEMS FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION AND CO2 PRODUCTION, AND ASSOCIATED DEVICES AND METHODS,” to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/493,049, filed on Mar. 30, 2023 and titled “SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR CAPTURING CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE USING SODIUM HYDROXIDE,” and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/625,284, filed on Jan. 26, 2024 and titled “DECOMPOSITION OF SODIUM FORMATE AND SODIUM OXALATE USING SUPER-HEATED STEAM FROM NUCLEAR REACTOR SYSTEM FOR DIRECT IN-SITU METHANOL PRODUCTION,” all three of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND Various sources may be utilized to capture Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in various ways. Resources, such as sorbents, can be utilized to bind with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the air to capture the Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The capturing of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) may be accomplished before, during, or after combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. The capturing of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) being accomplished before combustion of fossil fuels may include capturing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) before the fossil fuels are gasified, such as to produce synthesis gas (syngas). The capturing of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) may be accomplished after combustion processes are performed. The capturing of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) after performance of combustion processes may include capturing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from exhaust gases of power plants and industrial facilities after performance of the combustion process. Captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) may be utilized in various ways. The captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) may be utilized in chemical production processes, such as to provide chemicals, metals, and polymers. The Carbon Dioxide (CO2) being captured in the air may be utilized in attempts to lower the concentration of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere globally, to offset the result of the continuous use of carbon-rich fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas (Methane (CH4)). The rising atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentration is projected to be between 530-980 parts per million (ppm) in the year 2100, possibly doubling the current level of 410 ppm and far higher than the preindustrial level of 280 ppm. Lowering the concentration of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere may result in smaller amounts of radiated heat being reflected back to the Earth's surface, which may lower levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) that react with ocean water molecules and, consequentially, lower levels of ocean acidification. The captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) may be utilized in industrial processes, such as with the captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) being used as a shielding gas in welding. The captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) may be utilized in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes, such as with the captured Carbon Dioxide (CO2) being injected into reservoirs of depleted wells and utilized to extract oil. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items. Furthermore, the drawings may be considered as providing an approximate depiction of the relative sizes of the individual components within individual figures. However, the drawings are not to scale, and the relative sizes of the individual components, both within individual figures and between the different figures, may vary from what is depicted. In particular, some of the figures may depict components as a certain size or shape, while other figures may depict the same components on a larger scale or differently shaped for the sake of clarity. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a representation of an integrated energy system 100 that includes a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) system integrated with a chemical production system. FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of an example process associated with a Carbon Dioxide (CO2) capturing process that yields carbon-free production of Sodium Formate (HCOONa) and Sodium Acetate (CH3COONa). FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of a production system, wherein the Direct Air Capture (DAC) system 106 of FIG. 1 is integrated with the sodium formate production system 108 of FIG. 1 and configured to produce solid Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and liquid Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3B schematically illustrates a representative schematic diagram of a syngas production system 300B of Hydrogen (H2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) for Methanol (CH3OH) production. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a production system producing syngas usin