Optimal design of the structure and settings of nuclear HTR thermodynamic cycles

This paper briefly recalls the principles of the method and shows how accurate and rigorous exergy analyses can be carried out quite easily in an industrial context. It details on an example how industrial constraints and thermodynamical considerations interact to lead to an optimal cycle structure and settings. The efficiencies obtained are presented and discussed. In particular we discuss what we mean by optimal design. It is shown that this method is well suited to build optimal complex heat exchanger networks. The differences with other methods like the thermoeconomic ones are also briefly discussed.