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Archivio digitale delle tesi discusse presso l’Università di Pisa

Tesi etd-02032025-225844


Tipo di tesi
Tesi di laurea magistrale
Autore
CECCARELLI, MATTIA
URN
etd-02032025-225844
Titolo
Techno-Economic Assessment of Micro Nuclear Reactors for Cogeneration in Port Applications
Dipartimento
INGEGNERIA DELL'ENERGIA, DEI SISTEMI, DEL TERRITORIO E DELLE COSTRUZIONI
Corso di studi
INGEGNERIA ENERGETICA
Relatori
relatore Baccioli, Andrea
relatore Bischi, Aldo
correlatore Pucciarelli, Andrea
Parole chiave
  • cogeneration
  • decarbonization
  • distributed energy generation
  • micro modular reactor (MMR)
  • micro nuclear reactor (MNR)
  • mixed integer linear programming (MILP)
  • nuclear battery
  • open-air Brayton cycle
  • port electrification
  • techno-economic assessment
Data inizio appello
19/02/2025
Consultabilità
Tesi non consultabile
Riassunto
This thesis investigates the cost-effectiveness of micro nuclear reactors (MNR) in cogeneration applications within port environments. MNRs are a subset of small modular reactors (SMR), typically delivering electrical output in the tens of megawatts. These technologies are designed for scalability, modularity, and flexibility. When meeting specific operational and safety criteria, they are often termed "nuclear batteries" to emphasize their compact, distributed, and potentially off-grid capabilities.
As ports undergo increasing electrification, decarbonization requires either major grid infrastructure upgrades or the adoption of distributed generation solutions, such as nuclear batteries. These systems can rapidly follow load variations, making them well-suited for dynamic port environments. This study takes the Westinghouse eVinci as a reference model, which operates with an open-air Brayton cycle for efficient and flexible power generation.
The research first models reactor performance under partial loads and varying ambient temperatures, then develops a state-of-the-art mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to determine the optimal design and operation of the system and assess its economic feasibility. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework in optimizing the sizing and management of energy components within nuclear batteries. The proposed energy system, integrating photovoltaic panels and nuclear batteries, achieves cost savings of up to 33% compared to a purely grid-connected solution with natural gas-fired boilers, while also contributing to decarbonization and alleviating grid congestion in port environments.
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