Steady-state Modeling of Small Modular Reactors for Multi-timescale
Power System Operations with Temporally Coupled Sub-models
Abstract
Small modular reactors (SMRs) offer a promising avenue for
revolutionizing the traditional role of nuclear plants, transforming
them from serving as baseload to flexible con- tributors in both power
generation and ancillary services. This paper develops a steady-state
model for SMRs, with a focus on incorporating constraints related to
â\euro˜xenon poisoningâ\euro™. These constraints are essential to
prevent issues during nuclear plant ramp-up following a ramp-down event.
These â\euro˜xenon poisoningâ\euro™ constraints have been integrated
into a multi-timescale power system operation framework, which also
encompasses the formu- lation of inter-temporal coupling constraints. A
comprehensive investigation is undertaken to evaluate the impact of
integrating SMRs into a power grid with a high penetration of renewable
en- ergy, specifically the NREL-118 bus system. A capacity expansion
planning analysis is first conducted over multiple years to identify the
optimal locations and sizes for deploying SMRs across the network.
Additionally, weâ\euro™ve developed various reserve rules that adapt
to the ramping status of the SMRs and include different
â\euro˜hold-timeâ\euro™ for â\euro˜xenon poisoningâ\euro™
mitigation. Results obtained from a day-long simulation illustrate that
the implementation of minimal â\euro˜xenon poisoningâ\euro™
hold-time, coupled with a steady- state guided reserve provision rule,
yields the highest revenue â\euro“ approximately 4.14% more than the
base case.Â