Nuclear Process heat—application to fuels and chemical production

Synthesis gas, a mixture of CO and H₂, produced from coal and a HTR nuclear source can be an economic feedstock for synthetic fuel and chemicals production. Such chemicals as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, steel, can be readily produced from synthesis gas and other raw feedstocks by standard chemical engineering practice. Direct coal liquefaction is accomplished by adding H₂ to a pressurized coal slurry or solution. The use of the HTR to provide both the synthesis gas (using its high temperature capability) and steam or electricity for chemical process application (using its steam bottoming cycle capability) gives substantial conservation advantages in the use of coal compared to the non-nuclear equivalent processes. The desirability of efficiently using both the high and low temperature sources of the HTR requires a coupling between two or more chemical processes and the HTR (in a ‘Chemplex’) if a match is to be made between the high temperature and steam cycles of the HTR and the needs of the chemical processes.