Base load nuclear energy for ammonia, paper, biofuels and mining facilities with dispatchable electricity using high temperature electrolysis

<ns3:p>Large chemical plants operate at steady state because of the long time required to start up and change the operating conditions within the plant. Many plants require massive heat input. Nuclear reactors produce heat, and in a low-carbon economy, they are low-cost sources of steady-state heat. Many chemical plants require hydrogen that can be produced by high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE), which requires both heat and electricity. We examine nuclear industrial stored hydrogen heat and electricity (NISHHE) systems with (1) base-load nuclear and chemical plant operations and (2) variable HTSE operations that enable electricity to be sold to the grid when electricity prices are high. When electricity is not sold, HTSE hydrogen goes to the chemical plant and is stored at a low cost. When electricity prices are high, the chemical plant operates at a steady state with hydrogen from the HTSE operating at part load and stored hydrogen. In most chemical processes, hydrogen is used for hydrogenation to produce products, such as ammonia and liquid hydrocarbon fuels. These are exothermic processes, in which the heat produced by chemical reactions can be sent to the HTSE system to reduce nuclear heat inputs. Hydrogen as an energy storage system is less expensive and more efficient than other electricity storage methods. This system is applicable to (1) ammonia production, (2) pulp and paper mills that produce bio-crude oil, (3) cellulosic hydrocarbon biofuels, and (4) mining and milling, including the direct hydrogen reduction of iron ore to iron. Biofuel options can be designed with massive negative carbon emissions, that is, lower atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The total nuclear energy input could exceed the total energy required to provide electricity to the grid.</ns3:p>