Significance of high-temperature reactors in the scientific and technological progress of power engineering

Factors are presented which motivate the development of high-temperature nuclear-power engineering. They are divided into two groups: 1) the requirement of enhancing the economy of nuclear-power engineering and 2) external factors resulting from the interrelation between nuclear-power engineering and the environment or connected with the need to oust organic fuels from energy-consuming technological processes. A higher efficiency of the thermal cycle than in any water-cooled reactors known is ensured (41-43% vs 31-33%). The low pressure of the gas coolant permits the use of a ferroconcrete vessel which accomodates all the basic equipment of the first circuit (the integrated packing). A direct gas turbine cycle, possible already at helium temperatures of 750 to 850 deg C, will allow a considerable reduction in the cost of power generation. There is every reason to fear that the specific cost of reactors with a liquid metal coolant will exceed that of thermal reactors by over 50 to 60%, that is why some countries are considering gas-cooled fast reactors as a possible alternative