Prospects of electricity and heat-only SMRs in the Baltic Region

In the recent years, small modular reactors (SMRs) for power and heat generation have gained high interest due to promise of carbon-free generation, design flexibility, low cost, and high safety features. In this study, electricity and heat-only SMRs are modelled in the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian energy systems at 2030. The results indicate that heat-only installations could replace fossil-based district heating generation cost-effectively in the Estonian and Latvian capitals. Meanwhile, electricity SMRs in the Baltic region seem profitable only under high price assumptions

Consolidation of Tin Sulfide Chalcogels and Xerogels with and without Adsorbed Iodine

Tin sulfide (Sn₂S₃) chalcogels are one of the most effective nonoxide aerogels evaluated to date for iodine gas capture. This is attributed to the fact that the Sn within the gel network has a strong affinity for chemisorption of iodine to form SnI₄. This study demonstrates an approach for consolidating the raw and iodine-sorbed Sn₂S₃ chalcogels into a chalcogenide glass using GeS₂ as a glass-forming additive. Adding GeS₂ to iodine-sorbed or iodine-free Sn₂S₃ chalcogels provides better glass formation than Sn–S or Sn–S–I alone, and the quantity of iodine measured in the bulk glass of the consolidated iodine-sorbed Sn₂S₃ chalcogel was at ∼45 mass%. Additional experiments were conducted using microwave sintering and hot isostatic pressing with iodine-sorbed Sn₂S₃ xerogels to evaluate alternative consolidation techniques