Concerning hydrogen production based on nuclear technologies

The paper presents the possibility for the sodium-cooled fast reactor technologies to be used for the steam methane reforming (SMR) into hydrogen. The three independent energy loops available in the Russian BN-600 fast reactor make it possible to use the steam generator in one of the loops for the generation of steam with a pressure of p = 13.2 MPa and a temperature of T = 505 °С. The second energy loop of the reactor can be used to increase the temperature of the steam–gas mixture to the value required for the efficient reforming. The electric power of 200 MW generated in the loop is enough to feed the source of high-temperature helium flow (T = 950 °С) using which the steam–gas mixture temperature in the reformer is increased up to T = 820 °C. The technology proposed provides for a high hydrogen production rate (about 80 thousand normal cubic meters of H2 per hour). This will save up to 25% of the initial natural gas that is combusted in accordance with the existing standard SMR technology for the preparation and heating of the steam-gas mixture.