Division of HTR-10GT Project

  Aiming at combining direct helium gas turbine with HTR-10, the Division of HTR-10GT Project is mainly engaged in the research and development of key equipments and technologies for Power Conversion Unit (PCU) of HTR-10GT. The design of PCU integrates many advanced technologies, such as helium compressor and turbine, active magnetic bearing, compact heat exchanger. And different disciplines are involved in the design and development of HTG-10GT, including thermal engineering, mechanical engineering, fluid mechanics, rotor dynamics, electromagnetics, automatic control, computer science, etc. It is not only challenges but also opportunities for the cross-disciplinary research. the Division of HTR-10GT Project is devoted to promote the efficiency of nuclear energy-electricity power conversion. It will be the first test unit of HTGR coupled with direct gas turbine generator in the world, and will offer the key technologies for the advanced development of commercial demonstrated power plants of HTGR-GT.

                                            

                PCU of HTGR-GT                                     Active Magnetic Bearing

10MW High Temperature Gas Cooled Test Reactor with stream turbine cycle (HTR-10) is one of significant projects in the field of energy for the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program), undertaken by the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET), Tsinghua University during the 8th and 9th Five-Year Plans. The HTR-10 has reached first criticality in December 2000 and begun its full power operation in January of 2003. The HTR-10 is only modular high temperature gas cooled reactor test plant in operation in the world at present. The construction and operation of HTR-10 are very important regarding the prospective R&D of high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) both at home and overseas. According to developing trend and requirements of HTGR technologies, researches on HTGR with gas turbine cycle has been carried out on the base of HTR-10. This project has already been listed in the 10th Five-Year Plan and is also one of the main projects of INET.

The Division of HTR-10GT Project has achieved quiet great progress with the broad supports from INET since its foundation. Now there are good working environment, well academic atmosphere and abundant research fund in the division. And what’s more, it’s on the way of further developing. In recent years, the division has widely collaborated with famous domestic and international research institutes, such as Russian State Unitary Enterprise I.I. Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (OKBM), etc. And many experts in different research fields were invited to cooperate and give instructions on research work, like well-known electromagnetic bearing expert--Prof. G. Schweitzer of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. And all these offer well conditions to ensure the successful development of the research work in the future.

The main research areas in the Division of HTR-10GT Project focus on thermodynamic analysis and active magnetic bearing as follows:

Thermodynamic analysis
Fundamental theoretical analysis of energy conversion in HTGR
Closed Brayton cycle analysis
Basic characteristics of helium compressor and turbine
Design of turbocompressor
Dynamic analysis of thermodynamic system
Heat transfer and resistance characteristics of heat-exchange equipment
Active magnetic bearing
Rotor dynamic analysis
Robust control
Design and development of sensors
Integrated research of PCU

The research group consists of, associated professor, lecturers, engineers and postgraduate students. The Division of HTR-10GT Project welcomes experts and researchers to join the research.