First-of-a-kind plants

After addition of the cost of storage tanks that does not appear in the flow sheet and of the initial feedstock of raw materials (sulphuric acid and iodine), the overall investment cost for a first-of-a-kind plant amounts to about EUR 2.5 G. 

The project was a success as measured by the criteria of being under budget and on schedule. It was unique in that it was a first of a kind plant for the commercial conversion of natural gas to gasoline. This enables New Zealand to be less dependent on imported petroleum products. As with any project, problems arose, were addressed immediately and tackled vigorously at no time were they allowed to affect the completion of the plant. The construction of the plant in New Zealand in a non-industrial area presented unusual challenges which were met with creative solutions. 

The development of the AHTR requires three overlapping steps leading to a full scale demonstration plant or first-of-a-kind plant concept development and evaluation, research and development, and integrated demonstration test. These are described in more detail below in thecontext of AHTR deplo5mient. 

The estimated capital cost for NPP construction is US 8000/kW(e). This estimate is based on a target of the electricity cost of 0.05 US /kW(e)/hour, with a plant availability of 0.95 and a design lifetime of 20 years. However, it is the cost of a first-of-a-kind plant, which is expected to decrease with increased production. The modular approach is also effective for cost reduction. 

For the first-of-a-kind BN GT unit, base load mode of operation was selected further BN GT units could be operated in load follow modes within electric output variation between 90 and 300 MW(e). The prerequisites for this are fast neutron spectrum (no effect of xenon poisoning in reactivity) and the use of a special gas turbine. To realize load follow operation modes, a demonstration of fuel element reliable performance under multiple power ramps and associated thermo-cycling would be needed, which could be accomplished during the operation of a first-of-a-kind plant. 

The load factor targeted for the first-of-a-kind plant with the BN GT-300 is 80% in further plants it could be improved through learning. The theoretical limit for availability factor is close to 98% it could be considered as a target for the BN GT-300. 

The estimated R D costs to complete the BN GT-300 design project are US 35 000 000. The estimated cost of the first-of-a-kind plant manufacturing is US 171 000 000. 

Financial information relevant to the BN GT-300 project and projected effectiveness of the first-of-a-kind plant is given in Tables XVni-4 and XVIII-5 more details are given in [XVm-4]. 

However, the first-of-a-kind plant will be needed because the BN GT-300 incorporates a new combination of these technologies and design features, the combination that has never been applied before. 

IRIS (International consortium led by Westinghouse, USA) 1000 343 (279 desalination option) 140,000 Yes, flexible 2012-2015-First-of-a-kind plant Pre-application licensing process started in October 2002 Yes -11% (BOL, without Xe) Yes Lifetime core option was considered. 

GT-MHR XV 1460 first-of-a-kind plant -1000 N-th plant Less than 36 3.1 (20-year levelized)... 

ACACIA XIX 2700 - first-of-a-kind plant 2200 - serial plant 24 3 - cogeneration mode 6 -power generation only... 

In the United States, a subsidiary of the DuPont Company, Lazote, Inc., made synthetic methanol at Belle, West Virginia. The Belle operation was part of the ammonia plant at the site. The methanol production was actually a step in the ammonia process for removing carbon monoxide, which was an impurity in the ammonia synthesis gas. Commercial Solvents was the first to employ the high-pressure synthesis process, developed by BASF, in the United States. The plant, located in Peoria, lUinois, began operation a few months after the Lazote plant at Belle. The Commercial Solvents plant used an off-gas from a fermentation operation. The off-gas contained carbon dioxide and hydrogen from the production of butanol from corn. This first of a kind plant in the United States was rated at about 4000 t per year. 

Regardless of the estimating method, a process contingency should be added to the total plant cost for feasibility studies. As discussed earlier, this contingency depends on the status of the project. For most factored estimates, on a first of a kind process that is fairly well defined, the process contingency should be 30%. 

The most recent system is a 220 kilowatt fuel cell/gas turbine power plant operating at the University of California s National Fuel Cell Research Center located in Irvine, California. The first-of-a-kind hybrid power plant consists of a 200 kilowatt fuel cell generator pressurized at about 3.5 atmospheres in combination with a 20 kilowatt two-shaft gas turbine. The system was first run at the Pittsburgh facility and started operating at Irvine in June, 2000. Total run time until July, 2000 was 264 hours. Electric energy delivered was 42 megawatt-hours. Electric efficiency was 51% (LHV). An electric power feed-through mounted on the pressure vessel devel-... 

Historical data on disposal costs are often inadequate for estimating operating costs for a new unit, since environmental laws have changed extensively. In the early stages of planning for a plant, many of the trace impurities and their disposal problems may not be defined, especially for a first of a kind unit. Every effort should be made to define the waste products and their compositions. The operating costs for the ultimate disposal of every waste stream must be estimated. If not enough is known, then an allowance for the costs of the most expensive disposal method must be included. 

Construction cost of the first of a kind (FOAK) module and the first 4-module plant (see Fig.7.11.2.) is evaluated as 2.0 and 1.2 times the cost of an existing LWR respectively. The second 4-module plant cost is expected to be equal to an existing LWR as a result of standardization and the learning effect. 

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