On January 11, Daniel Mikkelson successfully defended his PhD dissertation, Nuclear Integrated Energy System Preliminary Design and Analysis. Daniel’s committee consisted of his advisor, J. Michael Doster and members, Katharina Stapelmann, Mohamed Bourham, Shannon Bragg-Sitton, and Stephen Terry.

Abstract

MIKKELSON, DANIEL MARK. Nuclear Integrated Energy System Preliminary Design and Analysis. (Under the direction of Dr. J. Michael Doster).

To advance Integrated Energy Systems (IES) design and deployment, this research details progress on IES research, thermal energy storage integration technologies, and potential IES secondary energy users. This research describes detailed model development that can be used for dynamic analysis and optimization. Model development of the energy conversion cycle of a NuScale Power Module is necessary to continue IES research and is central to this proposed work. Using the Joint Use Modular Plant program at Idaho National Laboratory as the design basis, this research developed an IES dynamic model for design, sensitivity, and economic studies. Background research includes integrated energy systems configurations and economics, thermal energy storage technology development, and nuclear compatible thermal energy applications. Preliminary research details the results of a figure of merit study of thermal energy storage technologies in a specific deployment scenario. Research tools and methods are identified for model development, as well as the contributions of new and complete nuclear power conversion models integrated with thermal energy storage for the dynamic allocation of energy to multiple users.