HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Outlook on heat utilization and H2 production potential of HTR in Japan

Ide, A. (Fuji Electric Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)); Tasaka, K. (Nagoya Univ. (Japan))

Abstract

Although more than 30% of electricity is now generated by nuclear power plant in Japan, utilization of nuclear energy in the field other than power generation is still very low. The necessity to limit the use of the fossil fuel is not becoming the first requisite to consider the best mix method of the energy supply in all the countries of the world. In most of the advanced countries, some change of energy consumption structure is mandatory. Nuclear is believed to be the most promising solution under these circumstances. Especially, under a long prospect of increasing energy consumption with increasing world population, replacement of the energy used in the chemical industry and transportation by nuclear energy seems to be the most effective way to suppress the release of CO2. About 50% of energy used in the chemical industries require a temperature more than 600 deg. C. This is easily attained by the HTR but not by other types of reactor. Hydrogen is not a primary energy source but is a clean energy to be used in industry, transportation and in a family day life. Hydrogen can be produced by nuclear energy. The HTR is a best energy converter for the production of hydrogen because the highest efficiency can be obtained by use of the HTR. To assess the effectiveness of utilizing the HTR, it is useful to know the potential demands for this type of reactor in Japan. In Europe, it is reported that there may be a market for about 150-2000 200MWt modular HTR reactors. In Japan, this number can be estimated to be about 400 when the energy consumption is considered only for power and steam use in industries. But this number will be increased much higher if the market of hydrogen is developed.

view the full text of this article (5 pages, format: PDF, size= 737kB)

key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Technical committee meeting on high temperature applications of nuclear energy. Oarai (Japan). 19-20 Oct 1992
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--761, pp:55-59