An international assessment of the gas turbine MHTGR

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Proceedings of the American Power Conference; (United States)

OSTI ID:7051171

Penfield, Jr, S R ^[1]; Kerr, H T ^[2]; Schleicher, R W ^[3]

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1. Gas-Cooled Reactor Association, San Diego, CA (US)
2. Oak Ridge National Lab., Oak Ridge, TN (US)
3. General Atomics, San Diego, CA (US)

This paper discusses the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR), an advanced nuclear energy technology employing a ceramic coated particle fuel system, a graphite moderator (which also serves to establish core geometry) and a single-phase, inert, helium coolant. This particular combination of fuel, moderator/core structure and coolant provides a capability for high temperature operation that is unique among current nuclear concepts. Gas turbine variants of the MHTGR (MHTGR-GT) are particularly intriguing. at a core outlet temperature of about 850{degrees}C (1562{degrees}F) (within the capabilities of the current fuel system and structural materials), the MHTGR system can be configured to produce power using the Brayton cycle, thus conceptually replacing the steam generator, primary circulator and the entire steam power conversion system with a relatively simple closed-cycle gas turbine and associated heat exchangers.

• OSTI ID: 7051171
• Report Number(s): CONF-920432--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Proceedings of the American Power Conference; (United States) Journal Volume: 54:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210300* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
BRAYTON CYCLE
CARBON
CERAMICS
COATINGS
COOLANTS
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FUELS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GAS TURBINES
GASES
GRAPHITE
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HELIUM
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
MACHINERY
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OPERATION
RARE GASES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTORS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 1000-4000 K
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY