Method for improving thermal-cycle yield in nuclear power plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for increasing the efficiency of electric power generation in pressurized water nuclear power plants, comprising steps of superheating a main steam and reheating the reheated steam by means of an auxiliary circuit, where the streams for the superheating and the reheating work in parallel.

1 . Method for increasing the efficiency of electric power generation in pressurized water nuclear power plants, comprising the following steps:
 a. the saturated or slightly wet steam originating from the steam generator (SG) is superheated before entering a steam turbine (ST) with several bodies;   b. the steam reheated with steam from a high pressure (HP) turbine extraction, is again reheated using live-steam from the reactor;   c. the steam reheated in the preceding step is again reheated, exchanging heat with a thermal fluid at a higher temperature;   d. the reheated steam of step c is expanded in the low (LP) body of the steam turbine;   e. the expanded steam of step d is condensed and the condensed water is recirculated to the steam generators after heating with water steam originating from turbine extractions   characterized in that the superheating in a and the reheating in c are performed by means of an auxiliary thermal fluid circuit with the streams for the superheating and the reheating working in parallel.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that in steps a and c the exchange with the thermal fluid is performed by means of pressurized water and at a higher temperature, where the water originates from a second auxiliary circuit which diverts part of the water from the reactor to an exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the energy source or sources used for the superheating and the reheating of steps a and c is/are external to the power plant. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to any of  claim 3 , where the energy source or sources is/are a renewable source.