The DOE advanced gas reactor fuel development and qualification program

The high outlet temperatures and high thermal-energy conversion efficiency of modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) enable an efficient and cost-effective integration of the reactor system with non-electricity-generation applications, such as process heat and/or hydrogen production, for the many petrochemical and other industrial processes that require temperatures between 300°C and 900°C. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected the HTGR concept for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project as a transformative application of nuclear energy that will demonstrate emissions-free nuclear-assisted electricity, process heat, and hydrogen production, thereby reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and enhancing energy security. The objective of the DOE Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification program is to qualify tristructural isotropic (TRISO)-coated particle fuel for use in HTGRs. An overview of the program and recent progress is presented.