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Conference Article: Methanol synthesis from recycled carbon dioxide and hydrogen from high temperature steam electrolysis with the nuclear heat of an HTGR

Miyamoto, Y. (Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan)); Omoto, A.; Aoki, Y. (Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (Japan)); Murakami, T.; Uchida, S.; Shirakawa, S.; Murakami, N.; Yamauchi, Y. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, Nagasaki (Japan)); Fukuda, S.; Kamishima, Y. (Mitsubishi Atomic Power Industries, Inc., Tokyo (Japan))

Abstract

Global warming resulting from increasing carbon dioxide is a crucial and imperative issue to cope with. Curving CO2 emission is a must to prevent global warming. This paper addresses a study of an environment-friendly plant concept in which reduction of emissions is attained by utilizing nuclear generated heat to methanol production. The process of the plant is as follows:

  1. High-temperature heat energy is obtained from MHTGRs (MHTGR: Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor) that emit no CO2.
  2. The high-temperature heat electrolyzes steam into hydrogen.
  3. Hydrogen reacts with carbon dioxide emitted from a thermal power plant producing methanol: a promising and easily transportable.
This paper describes the results studied by Sub-Group ''Methanol Synthesis from Recycled Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen from High Temperature Steam Electrolysis'' which branches out of ''Study Group'' belonging to ''The Committee on Uses of Reactor Heat'' organized by Japan Industrial Forum (JAIF).

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key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Technical committee meeting on high temperature applications of nuclear energy. Oarai (Japan). 19-20 Oct 1992
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--761, pp:79-85