Extending the temperature range of the HTR

The operating temperature of the high temperature helium-cooled reactor can be increased in a number of ways in order to provide higher temperature nuclear heat for various industrial processes. Modifications are of two types: 1) decrease in the temperature difference between the maximum coated particle fuel temperature and the mean exit gas temperature, and 2) increased maximum coated particle temperature. Gains in the latter category are limited by fission product diffusion into the gas steam and increases greater than 1000K are not forseen. Increases in the former category, however, are readily made and a variety of modifications are proposed as follows: incorporation of coated particles in the fuel matrix; use of a more finely-divided fuel coolant hole geometry to increase heat transfer coefficients and reduce conduction temperature differences; large increases in the fuel matrix graphite thermal conductivity (to about 50 W/m0K) to reduce conduction temperature differences; and modifications to the core distribution, both radially and axially. By such means the exit gas temperature can be increased to the range of 12000K to 16000K. (author)