A conceptual design was produced by 1997,[1] and it was hoped to have a final design by 2005, and a prototype plant commissioning by 2010.[1]
Construction
The core consists of a graphite cylinder with a radius of 4 metres (13 ft) and a height of 10 metres (33 ft) which includes 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) axial reflectors at top and bottom. The cylinder allocates three or four concentric rings, each of 36 hexagonal blocks with an interstitial gap of 0.2 centimetres (0.079 in). Each hexagonal block contains 108 helium coolant channels and 216 fuel pins. Each fuel pin contains a random lattice of TRISO particles dispersed into a graphite matrix. The reactor exhibits a thermal spectrum with a peak neutron energy located at about 0.2 eV. The TRISO fuel concept allows the reactor to be inherently safe. The reactor and containment structure is located below grade and in contact with the ground, which serves as a passive safety measure to conduct heat away from the reactor in the event of a coolant failure.[2]
Advantages
The Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor utilizes the Brayton cycle turbine arrangement, which gives it an efficiency of up to 48% – higher than any other reactor, as of 1995.[3] Commercial light water reactors (LWRs) generally use the Rankine cycle, which is what coal-fired power plants use. Commercial LWRs average 32% efficiency, again as of 1995.
^Labar, Malcomb P. "The Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor: A promising option for near term deployment" San Diego, CA; General Atomics Presentation; 2002
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