THTR-300

THTR-300 is a thorium high-temperature nuclear reactor (THTR) located in Germany. It was a prototype, pebble bed reactor rated at 300 megawatt (MW), hence the name THTR-300. The reactor was developed and operated by Hochtemperatur-Kernkraftwerk GmbH (HKG), a German nuclear power company.

History

The construction of the THTR-300 began in 1970 and was completed in 1983. The reactor went critical for the first time in 1983 and was connected to the grid in 1985. However, due to a series of technical problems and political issues, the reactor was shut down in 1989, after only four years of operation.

Design

The THTR-300 was a pebble bed reactor, a type of high-temperature reactor (HTR) that uses spherical fuel elements called pebbles. These pebbles are about the size of a tennis ball and contain thousands of tiny uranium and thorium fuel particles. The pebbles are surrounded by a graphite moderator.

The THTR-300 was cooled by helium gas and had a direct-cycle gas turbine for power conversion, which is more efficient than the steam turbines used in most nuclear power plants.

Legacy

Despite its short operational life, the THTR-300 made significant contributions to the development of high-temperature reactors and thorium fuel cycles. The lessons learned from the THTR-300 have been used in the design of new generation pebble bed reactors and advanced thorium reactors.

See also

• Pebble bed reactor
• Thorium fuel cycle
• High-temperature reactor
• Nuclear power in Germany

References

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