HTR-TN ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROSPECTS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

It is already 10 years since the (European) HTR Technology Network (HTR-TN) launched a programme for the development of HTR Technology, which expanded through 3 successive Euratom Framework Programmes, with many coordinated projects in line with the strategy of the Network. Widely relying in the beginning on the legacy of the former European HTR developments (DRAGON, AVR, THTR...) that it contributed to safeguard, this programme led to advances in HTR/VHTR technologies and produced significant results, which can benefit to the international HTR community through the Euratom involvement in the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). The main achievements of the European programme performed in complement to national efforts in Europe and already taking into consideration the complementarity with contributions of other GIF partners are presented: they concern the validation of computer codes (reactor physics, system transient analysis from normal operation to air ingress accident and fuel performance in normal and accident conditions), materials (metallic materials for the vessel, the direct cycle turbines and the intermediate heat exchanger, graphite...), component development, fuel manufacturing and irradiation behaviour and specific HTR waste management (irradiated fuel and graphite). Key experiments have been performed or are still ongoing, like irradiation of graphite to high fuence, fuel material irradiation (PYCASSO experiment), high burn-up irradiated fuel PIE, safety test and isotopic analysis, IHX Copyright (C) 2008 by ASME