Title: R&D effort on nuclear hydrogen production technology in China

Authors: Yuliang Sun, Jingming Xu, Zuoyi Zhang

Addresses: Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China. ' Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China. ' Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P.R. China

Abstract: An active programme of developing high-temperature gas-cooled reactors is being executed in China. A 10 MWth test reactor with spherical fuel elements was constructed in 2000 and is now under operation. Research and development of direct cycle helium turbine technology is being carried out. The industrial-scale demonstration plant of modular HTGR is being promoted. Regarding nuclear hydrogen R&D, laboratory scale research and experiments are being performed to study the process technologies of hydrogen production using nuclear process heat from HTGRs. Proposals for a nuclear hydrogen R&D programme have been made to the central government and the programme is expected to start during the Five-Year-Plan for China beginning in 2006.

Keywords: high temperature gas-cooled reactors; HTGR; HTR-10; HTR-PM; nuclear hydrogen production; China; R&D; research and development; nuclear power; nuclear energy; hydrogen energy; helium turbines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNHPA.2006.011245

International Journal of Nuclear Hydrogen Production and Applications, 2006 Vol.1 No.2, pp.104 - 111

Published online: 07 Nov 2006 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article