Comparative Analysis of the Characteristics and Operational Efficiency of a Combined Heat and Power Plant with AP300 and BWRX-300 SMR Reactors

The purpose of this study is to compare the energy performance characteristics of two small modular reactor (SMR) technologies, the AP300 and the BWRX-300, under conditions of simultaneous electricity and heat production. Mathematical models of both systems were developed, covering the steam–water cycle, the turbine and the heat recovery system. The analysis was carried out for a heat output range of 50–500 MWt, under identical heat utilisation conditions. The gross and net electrical power, in-house plant consumption, electrical, thermal and total efficiency, unit steam consumption and the cogeneration index were assessed. The symmetric percentage difference (PD) was used for a quantitative comparison of the characteristics. The results showed that the BWRX-300 has lower in-house plant consumption, whilst the AP300 has lower unit steam consumption for electricity generation. For this indicator, the PD value ranges from 15.77% to 31.08%, with an average of 22.21%. Furthermore, it was shown that the impact of reactor technology on cogeneration characteristics depends on the parameter under analysis. The largest differences relate to parameters associated with the conversion of heat into electricity, whilst characteristics related to heat production show a higher degree of consistency.