HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: The European Programme of Development of HTR/VHTR Technology

Dominique Hittner, Framatome-ANP, Paris La Défense Cedex, FRANCE

Abstract

The European Commission is funding a programme of development of HTR technologies in the EURATOM 5th Framework Programme performed by the partners of the European HTR Technology Network (HTR-TN). The highlights of this programme and its main results, concerning the fuel technology, reactor physics, components, materials, the development of a safety approach adapted to the HTR specific safety features and the waste management issues, are presented. In particular the programme of irradiation in HFR, including a first fuel irradiation in VHTR conditions is described, as well as the findings concerning the feasibility of a helium turbine and the HTR physics modelling. Besides, each area of the programme will be presented in details separately. The main orientations of the new programme of HTR-TN for the 6th Framework Programme, which has just been selected for funding by the European Commission, are also presented: the main objective of this new programme is, beyond the consolidation of the base HTR technologies, the search for improvements in the performances of HTRs, in particular towards higher operating temperatures (VHTR), but also higher fuel burn-up and any other improvement increasing the competitiveness of this type of system. The opening of the scope of applications, beyond mere electricity production towards very high temperature process heat applications (including hydrogen production) is also part of the objectives. The key aspects of this new programme are described.

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key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Proceedings of the Conference on High Temperature Reactors, Beijing, China, September, 22-24, 2004
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
HTR-2004, pp:1-17