THE
GAS TURBINE - MODULAR HELIUM REACTOR
In
1993, General Atomics (GA) and the Russian Federation Ministry
for Atomic Energy (MINATOM) initiated a joint cooperative
program to develop the Gas Turbine - Modular Helium Reactor
(GT-MHR). In 1994, the primary emphasis of the program was
refocused on development of the GT-MHR for disposition of
surplus Russian weapons-grade plutonium. In 1996 and 1997,
Framatome and Fuji Electric, respectively, also became partners
in this program. The scope of the program includes construction
of a GT-MHR plant at Seversk (formerly Tomsk-7) to destroy
a portion of the Russian inventory of surplus plutonium and
to produce electricity for the surrounding region. The conceptual
design was completed in 1997 by several Russian institutes
in cooperation with the non-Russian partners. Funding for
the conceptual design phase was provided by MINATOM, General
Atomics, Framatome and Fuji Electric.
Russia has a large number of engineers and scientists at various
institutes who are experienced and fully familiar with gas-cooled
reactor technology. These institutes include the Experimental
Design Bureau of Machine Building (OKBM) at Nizhny Novgorod,
the Russian Research Center - Kurchatov Institute (RRC-KI),
the A.A. Bochvar All Russian Scientific Institute (VNIIM)
and the Industrial Association LUTCH in Podolsk, south of
Moscow.
Russia
has chosen the GT-MHR for plutonium destruction because it
offers a uniquely high level of reactor safety, because it
is the only nuclear reactor capable of using the direct cycle
gas turbine (Brayton cycle) for production of electricity
at plant efficiencies of up to 48%, because it achieves a
higher level of plutonium destruction (and a higher amount
of electrical energy per unit mass of plutonium consumed)
without recycle than any other reactor technology, and because
its fuel cycle offers superior diversion and proliferation
resistance. A uranium-fueled version of the reactor has high
commercial potential as an export commodity.
Starting
with Fiscal Year 1999, funding for development of the GT-MHR
has been provided by the U.S. Congress and is being implemented
by the U.S. Department of Energy in the U.S./Russian plutonium
disposition strategy.