New developments in the HTR field

For a long time, development of the high temperature reactor was marked by continual ups and downs. There were successive periods of euphoria and frustration. Even the PNP project was not spared. Following the lowest point in the last half of 1982, a calmer positively realistic viewpoint came to the fore early in 1983. The upturn finally came with the decision by the Federal Government in April 1983 to complete the THTR 300 - and also the SNR 300 projects. The great potential of the HTR - which comprises excellent safety aspects - for the generation of electricity, heat and process steam - particularly in the low to medium power range - but in particular for making available process heat at a high temperature level of 9500C for coal gasification is beyond argument. A significant point here is that the Bergbau-Forschung test plant has been operating very successfully over the past year steam gasifying bituminous coal. Particular points to highlight are the excellent proportioning and gasification of medium to high-caking gas flame coal and the great increase in the gasification output through the use of catalysts. Pleasing progress can be reported with all the important individual parts of the PNP projects, i.e. with the nuclear reactor, materials and component development and with coal gasification methods. This latter, as before, is the long-term development aim. (orig.)