Tri Dasa Mega Vol. xxx No.

xxx (year) p1–p2

Jurnal Teknologi Reaktor Nuklir

Tri Dasa Mega

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EFFECT OF COOLANT MASS FLOW RATE ON THE ENERGY

CONVERSION SYSTEM WITH AN INDIRECT CYCLE
FOR PeLUIt-40 REACTOR
Dhiya Salma Salsabila1, Ign. Djoko Irianto2, Sukmanto Dibyo2, Athiek Sri Redjeki1
1
Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Cempaka Putih Tengah, Jakarta Pusat 10510,
Indonesia
2
Research Center for Nuclear Reactor Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Puspiptek Area, Building 80, Serpong, Tangerang
Selatan 15314, Indonesia

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article history: PeLUIt-40 is a nuclear reactor being designed in Indonesia for

Received:
heat application and generating electricity, with a thermal power
Received in revised form: of 40 MW. To improve energy efficiency, a system of power
Accepted: generation and heat for industry called a cogeneration system was
developed. The purpose of this study is to determine the best
design for the cogeneration system. In this study, two conceptual
Keywords:
designs of the cogeneration system were simulated, i.e. with
PeLUIt-40 splitter and without a splitter system respectively. The effect of
Cogeneration
coolant mass flow rate from 5 kg/s to 14 kg/s is analyzed.
Energy Utilization Factor
Efficiency Calculations were performed using the ChemCAD 6.4.1 program
Mass Flow Rate and Python programming. The result shows that an increase in the
mass flow rate will increase the exit temperature of the coolant
secondary side as a result of the heat transfer in the Intermediate
Heat Exchanger (IHX). This temperature impacts an increase in
the thermal power used for power generation and heat production.
An increase in the mass flow rate in both designs also causes the
value of the energy utilization factor (Energy Utilization Factor-
EUF) and the value of the thermal efficiency to increase. Using
the splitter has an EUF value of 39.08%, while the without splitter
design is 38.80%. Likewise, the efficiency value of both with
splitter and without a splitter are 75.70% and 75.54%. xxx

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1. INTRODUCTION The ORTN is continuing to develop the design

of systems from nuclear energy sources. In
To realize one of the government's programs,
addition to being a source of electricity, nuclear
Net Zero Emission Carbon in Indonesia, which
energy can also be used to produce hydrogen
states that Nuclear Energy Sources, Hydrogen,
and water desalination. The reactor design that
Coal Gasification, and Coal Liquefaction are
has been made by ORTN is the PeLUIt-40
part of New Energy, The Nuclear Energy
reactor. It is the latest generation IV reactor, the
Research Organization (ORTN) is researching
High-Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor
environmentally friendly nuclear energy
(HTGR). The selection of the power plant that
sources [1].
uses the HTGR cogeneration reactor type is
because the fission energy from the reactor fuel
 in the form of pebble bed is more stable and
Corresponding author.
E-mail: dhiyasalmas@gmail.com
sustainable, and is not affected by weather,
2 First author et al. / Tri Dasa Mega Vol. xxx No. xxx (year) p1–p2
climate, season, sun, wind, waves, and does not
require a large area for its realization [2]. The
HTGR reactor uses helium as a coolant, and the
temperature outlet from the reactor is 700°C
[3]. The heat produced in the reactor can be
used for hydrogen production and desalination.
Hydrogen is an element that is very needed for
the processing of various industries, as a
coolant and covering, and hydrogen-fueled
vehicles are also widely sold in the market.
Research on modeling the energy conversion
system in the High-Temperature Gas Reactor
with a thermal power of 200 MW has been
carried out by Djoko Irianto. Using modeling as
a Brayton cycle, where the gas turbine is placed
in a direct cycle, with varying the reactor outlet
temperature. The research result showed that
the higher the reactor outlet temperature, the
lower the thermal power for electricity
generation, while the thermal power for
hydrogen production increased [4, 5]. To
improve system efficiency to reduce the
amount of heat wasted during the process of
generating electricity, a cogeneration system is
created. A cogeneration system is a process of
generating and utilizing energy in different
forms simultaneously from a single energy
source to produce the maximum conversion
efficiency, which is economical and more
environmental friendly [6].
Previous research has been carried out by Dedy
Priambodo by conducting energy analysis on
the HTGR steam turbine cycle to find out the
heat loss that occurs in the power plant
components. The results of the analysis and
evaluation show that the reactor is the least
efficient component, with a percentage of an
irreversibility of 61.8%, among all the
components in the system. This is due to the
irreversibility that occurs in the transfer of
energy from the fission reaction to the helium
coolant. The steam generator, turbine, and
condenser are the next largest contributors to
losses. The study results also show that the
efficiency of the HTGR steam turbine cycle has
the potential to be improved so that it can
provide a significant effect on improving
system efficiency [7].
Therefore, research is needed on the conceptual
design of a cogeneration system using the
reactor design that has been made by the
Nuclear Energy Research Organization called
PeLUIt-40. In this study, two cogeneration
system designs will be proposed, as the
utilization of nuclear energy sources to generate
electricity and hydrogen production. This
analysis is carried out by using the calculation
of the value using the heat energy utilization
factor or Energy Utilization Factor (EUF) and
the system efficiency by varying the mass flow
rate of the coolant. In this study, ChemCAD
6.4.1 software is used to simulate the design of
the cogeneration systems.
2. METHODOLOGY
In this study, an analysis was conducted on two
cogeneration system designs using a splitter
and without a splitter. Both designs were
simulated into ChemCAD using Raoult's law as
a thermodynamic system. The simulation data
was analyzed for its performance using the
efficiency parameter and the value of the
thermal energy utilization factor, which was
run in the Python program. The design of the
cogeneration system for the PeLUIt-40 reactor
is expected to support hydrogen production.
ChemCAD is a chemical process simulation
software with various thermodynamic modules
that can help simplify calculations. Python, on
the other hand, is a programming language that
can be run on almost all system architectures
and used for various applications in various
fields. In the design process, several parameters
were set for the PeLUIt-40 configuration.
These parameters were compiled based on the
provisions that have been determined. The
parameters are as follows:
Table 1 Characteristic of each cycle parameters
Primary Cycle
Fluid Helium
Reactor operation 700°C, 30 bar
condition
Power 40 MW
Mass flow rate of 5 to 14 Kg/s
the reactor coolant
Secondary Cycle
Fluid Water/steam
Mass flow rate 12 Kg/s
Table 2 Component parameters for energy
conversion system
Parameter Value
 First author et al. / Tri Dasa Mega Vol. xxx No. xxx (year) p1–p2 3

Pressure drop in 0.1 bar two streams at a ratio of 9:1. The larger stream
will enter the turbine, while the smaller stream
shell and tube side
will enter to the cogeneration system. This
of IHX design can be seen in Figure 2.
Heat transfer area 500.796 m2
(A) of IHX
Heat transfer 796.391 W/m2K
coefficient (U) of
IHX
Gas turbine 0.85
efficiency
Heat transfer area 166.32 m2
(A) of hydrogen Figure 2 Second design of indirect cycle
production
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Heat transfer 502.56 W/m2K
The results of the simulation using ChemCAD
coefficient (U) of showed the thermodynamic calculations of the
PeLUIt-40 energy conversion system as shown in
hydrogen production
Figures 3 to 7.
Heat transfer area 830.7 m2 The mass flow rate of the coolant in the reactor is
(A) of condenser investigated from 5 kg/s to 14 kg/s. This is because,
at a flow rate of 4 kg/s, a pitch zone occurred in the
Heat transfer 2320 W/m2K IHX in both designs. While a pitch zone is a
coefficient (U) of condition where the temperature difference between
the hot and cold fluids at that location is minimum.
condenser This can happen because one or more fluids
between the ends of the heat exchanger are
undergoing a phase change. On the other hand,
Two indirect cycle designs were created. In the first when the mass flow rate of the coolant in the
design, the steam generated by the IHX in the reactor is 15 kg/s, the first design of the IHX
secondary cycle will be fed into the cogeneration experiences a pitch zone.
system and then to the turbine. This can be seen in
Figure 1. Figure 3 shows that in the PeLUIt-40 reactor at a
power of 40 MWt, and pressure of 30 bar, an
increase in the mass flow rate of the coolant in the
reactor from 5 kg/s to 14 kg/s causes an increase in
the temperature at the outlet of the secondary side
of the IHX, which it is used for the hydrogen
production process. For the hydrogen gas
production to proceed using the SOEC method, the
outlet temperature of the IHX on the secondary side
must not be less than 500°C.

Figure 1 First design of indirect cycle

In the second design on the secondary cycle,
the steam generated by the IHX will pass
through the splitter, where it will be split into
4 First author et al. / Tri Dasa Mega Vol. xxx No. xxx (year) p1–p2
Figure 3 Graph temperature of IHX outlet
At a mass flow rate of 12 kg/s of coolant in the
reactor, the outlet temperature on the secondary
side of the IHX is 517.69°C. This means that the
minimum mass flow rate of coolant into the reactor
is 12 kg/s for the hydrogen gas production plant to
operate using the SOEC method.
The highest outlet temperature on the secondary
side of the IHX is 592.96°C with a mass flow rate
of coolant in the reactor of 14 kg/s. From the figure
4, it can be seen that the thermal power for
electricity generation in the first and second designs
increases with the increasing mass flow rate of
coolant in the reactor. The thermal power used for
hydrogen gas production in the first design
increases with a relatively insignificant change.
However, in the second design, because a splitter
was used, the steam flow rate entering the hydrogen
gas production system is split with a ratio of 1:9
between the flow rate for hydrogen gas production
and the turbine. This results in a significant increase
in thermal power because the ratio of steam flow
rate entering the hydrogen gas production system is
comparable to the secondary flow rate in the
system.
Figure 4 Power of each thermal energy utilization as a
function of reactor coolant mass flow rate
Based on Table 3, it can be concluded that as the
mass flow rate of coolant in the reactor increases,
the power for electricity generation and hydrogen
gas production also increases. In the first design,
when the mass flow rate of coolant in the reactor is
14 kg/s, the thermal power for hydrogen gas
production is 4.26 MW. However, at the same flow
rate in the second design, the thermal power for
hydrogen gas production is 4.04 MW. This is
because there is a difference in the steam flow rate
enter to the heat exchanger for hydrogen gas
production. In the first design, the steam flow rate
to the hydrogen gas production system is 12 kg/s,
while the second design, the steam flow rate
entering the hydrogen gas production system is 1.2
kg/s.
 First author et al. / Tri Dasa Mega Vol. xxx No. xxx (year) p1–p2 5

Table 3 Power for each thermal energy utilization as a function of the reactor coolant mass flow rate
Mass flow rate of Design 1, Power Design 2, Power Design 1, Power Design 2, Power
the reactor coolant for electricity for electricity for hydrogen for hydrogen
(Kg/s) (MW) (MW) production (MW) production (MW)
5 2.9807 6.2388 3.6451 1.8296
6 7.1558 6.4664 3.6459 2.1749
7 7.165 6.9909 3.6459 2.5014
8 7.2802 7.4441 3.6459 2.8125
9 7.5302 7.6586 3.6729 3.1435
10 7.992 8.2553 3.7916 3.4265
11 9.1676 8.4542 3.9455 3.656
12 10.0861 9.3344 4.0703 3.8299
13 10.797 10.5025 4.2038 3.9541
14 11.3692 11.4824 4.2645 4.041
The thermal utilization factor (EUF) value is While at the same flow rate in the second design,
calculated for each utilization. The EUF values for the total EUF value is 38.80%.
each design can be depicted in Figure 5. In the first
design, with a mass flow rate of coolant in the
reactor of 14 kg/s, the EUF values for electricity
generation and hydrogen production are 28.42%
and 10.66%, respectively. In the second design, the
EUF values are 28.70% and 10.10%, respectively.

Figure 6 Total EUF value as a function of reactor

coolant mass flow rate
System efficiency is a measure of system
performance. It can be seen in Figure 7 that system
efficiency increases with increasing mass flow rate
of coolant in the reactor. In the first design with a
Figure 5 EUF for each thermal energy utilization as a
function of reactor coolant mass flow rate
mass flow rate of coolant in the reactor of 14 kg/s,
the efficiency value is 75.70%. While at the same
The total EUF value of the two designs was flow rate in the second design, the efficiency value
calculated, in which can be seen in Figure 6. The is 75.54%.
total EUF value is the sum of the individual EUF
values in thermal energy utilization. It is indicating
that the EUF value increases with the increasing
mass flow rate of coolant in the reactor. In the first
design, when the mass flow rate of coolant in the
reactor is 14 kg/s, the total EUF value is 39.08%.
6 First author et al. / Tri Dasa Mega Vol. xxx No. xxx (year) p1–p2

Neutral Energy Perspectives.Penerbit

BRIN; 2022.
2. Armanita D., Fitriyani D., Setiadipura T.
Optimisasi Ukuran Teras High
Temperature Gass-cooled Reactor (HTGR)
dengan Daya 30 MWt Tipe Pebble Bed
Berbasis Bahan Bakar Uranium. Jurnal
Fisika Unand. 2020. 9(1):100–9.
3. Arum R., Rijanti1 P., Lumbanraja S.M.
KAJIAN PEMANFAATAN HTGR
SEBAGAI CAPTIVE POWER DI
KAWASAN INDUSTRI. Prosiding
Figure 7 Thermal efficiency graph as a function of
Seminar Nasional Infrastruktur Energi
reactor coolant mass flow rate Nuklir. 2018.
4. Ign. Djoko Irianto PEMODELAN SISTEM
4. CONCLUSION KONVERSI ENERGI RGTT200K UNTUK
MEMPEROLEH KINERJA YANG
With a variation in the mass flow rate of OPTIMUM. 2012.
the coolant in the reactor from 5 to 14 kg/s, it was 5. Ign. Djoko Irianto ANALISIS PENGARUH
known that increasing the mass flow rate of the LAJU ALIR MASSA PENDINGIN
coolant in the reactor causes an increase in the IHX TERHADAP KINERJA SISTEM
outlet temperature on the secondary side. For the KONVERSI ENERGI RGTT200K. Kawasan
production of hydrogen gas using the SOEC Puspiptek Gd. 80, Serpong, Tangerang
method, the mass flow rate of the coolant in the Selatan 15310: 2012.
reactor must be at least 12 kg/s, because the 6. Firdaus A. Analisa Perbandingan Overall
operating temperature must not be less than 500°C. Efficiency Pada Gas Turbine Generator
Based on the calculation results of the total energy Based Cogeneration Dan Conventional Di
utilization factor (EUF) value of the two designs, Pt.Pusri II. Proceeding Seminar Nasional
the first design has a higher value of 39.08%. The Tahunan Teknik Mesin XII (SNTTM XII).
second design has a total EUF value of 38.80%. 2013.
The system performance with the efficiency 7. Priambodo D., Dewita E., Djoko Irianto I.,
parameter shows that the first design has better Sistem P.K., Nuklir E., Kuningan Barat J.,
performance than the second design. The efficiency et al. ANALISIS ENERGI DAN EKSERGI
value of the first design is 75.70%, while the PADA SISTEM HTR-10 SIKLUS TURBIN
efficiency value of the second design is 75.54%. UAP. Jurnal Pengembangan Energi Nuklir.
Therefore, the first design is better than the second 2015.
design for implementation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to thank the
Research Center for Nuclear Reactor Technology
(PRTRN), the Nuclear Energy Research
Organization (ORTN), the National Research and
Innovation Agency (BRIN) for providing the
opportunity for the authors to conduct research and
the Chemical Engineering Department of
Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta for providing
support to publish this paper.

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