Interim Status Report on the Design of the Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR)
Current research and development on the Gas-Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) has focused on the design of safety systems that will remove the decay heat during accident conditions, ion irradiations of candidate ceramic materials, joining studies of oxide dispersion strengthened alloys; and within the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) the fabrication of carbide fuels and ceramic fuel matrix materials, development of non-halide precursor low density and high density ceramic coatings, and neutron irradiation of candidate ceramic fuel matrix and metallic materials. The vast majority of this work has focused on the reference design for the GFR: a helium-cooled, direct power conversion system that will operate with on outlet temperature of 850 C at 7 MPa. In addition to the work being performed in the United States, seven international partners under the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) have identified their interest in participating in research related to the development of the GFR. These are Euratom (European Commission), France, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Of these, Euratom (including the United Kingdom), France, and Japan have active research activities with respect to the GFR. The research includes GFR design and safety, and fuels/in-core materials/fuel cycle projects. This report outlines the current design status of the GFR, and includes work done in the areas mentioned above.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Idaho Falls, ID
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 862023
- Report Number(s):
- INEEL/EXT-05-02662; TRN: US0601167
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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