Recent Advances in the GIF Very High Temperature Reactor System

This paper provides an update on the international effort in the development of the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) system pursued through international collaboration between 8 countries in the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and an outlook on future R&D. The versatility of the VHTR enables it to be designed with inherent safety characteristics and optimized for both electric and non-electric applications, in particular for cogeneration of heat and power. Recent highlights from the four currently active GIF VHTR R&D projects are provided and placed into the context of the related national programs. Based on VHTR's relatively high technology readiness level, orientations for future R&D are outlined and will contribute to further enhancing the system's market readiness level. (author)