Analysis of the secondary circuit of a gas-cooled fast reactor

The article focuses on a power conversion system for a gas-cooled fast reactor working with helium. The power conversion system, i.e., secondary and possible tertiary system of a power plant, is used to convert heat generated by nuclear fission into electrical energy. The presented research deals with the conceptual design of this system, mainly its secondary circuit, which is assumed to be a Brayton cycle. Several concepts are evaluated, including single and staged compression and possible heat regeneration. The goal of the work is to select the main parameters of such a cycle that would not only be ideal in terms of efficiency, but would also allow decay heat to be used and further converted into electricity. In this way, the secondary cycle could be used as an additional safety system for the nuclear power plant.