Design and Calculation of Nuclear Heating System Utilizing a Molten Salt Heat Storage Circuit for Waste Heat Absorption and Peak Regulation

Abstract The utilization of nuclear energy heating systems is prevalent in the heating sector. However, the peak regulating capacity of nuclear heating systems is typically inadequate. To improve it, a nuclear energy heating system integrated with molten salt energy storage is devised. Molten salt energy storage systems are widely adopted in thermal power units and photovoltaic power generation to regulate peak load and store excess energy. By integrating the molten salt energy storage system into the nuclear energy heating system, surplus heat from the reactor can be temporarily stored during periods of low demand in the central heating network and released when there is high demand, enhancing the self-regulating peak capacity and operational flexibility of the system. Furthermore, coupling with the molten salt energy storage system allows for partial replacement of certain functions of the original residual heat removal system by absorbing shutdown waste heat at the initial stage of reactor shutdowns and providing it to either the central heating network or other users. In this paper, we establish a self-programmed one-dimensional calculation model for evaluating whether using molten salt to absorb initial waste heat from reactor shutdowns in a nuclear heating system is feasible and if this absorbed heat can be applied to supplementing central heating networks; additionally, we conduct preliminary calculations on utilizing molten salt for peak regulation purposes within the central heating networks, to preliminary verify the usability of the design scheme.