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Conference Article: Design of a nuclear steam reforming plant

Malherbe, J. (CEA Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France))

Abstract

The design of a plant for the steam reforming of methane using a High Temperature Reactor has been studied by CEA in connection with the G.E.G.N. This group of companies (CEA, GAZ DE FRANCE, CHARBONNAGES DE FRANCE, CREUSOT-LOIRE, NOVATOME) is in charge of studying the feasibility of the coal gasification process by using a nuclear reactor. The process is based on the hydrogenation of the coal in liquid phase with hydrogen produced by a methane steam reformer. The reformer plant is fed by a pipe of natural gas or SNG. The produced hydrogen feeds the gasification plant which could not be located on the same site. An intermediate hydrogen storage between the two plants could make the coupling more flexible. The gasification plant does not need a great deal of heat and this heat can be satisfied mostly by internal heat exchanges

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key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Specialists' meeting on process heat applications technology. Juelich, Germany, F.R. 27 - 29 Nov 1979
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). International Working Group on High-Temperature Reactors.
IWGHTR--6, pp:8-15