It is projected that shortly after the year 2000 combustion gas turbines will become the dominant prime-mover for electrical power generation in the U.S. These plants will operate with fossil fuels (i.e., natural gas and gasified coal) and have efficiencies of 60%. As environmental concerns intensify there will be a quest for "greener" power generation technologies, and this can be realized with a gas turbine coupled to a nonfossil heat source, namely an advanced nuclear reactor. The gas turbine modular helium reactor (GT-MHR) is a power plant with a meltdown-proof reactor and a high efficiency prime-mover based on proven technologies. A reactor core with a power rating of 550 MW(t) was selected in order to provide margin on design limits, however a design goal was established to achieve a growth potential to 600 MWt. This module rating makes it ideally suited to the needs of both the industrialized and developing nations. The power conversion system is based on an intercooled and recuperated closed Brayton cycle with a projected efficiency of over 47% for the initial unit that could be in utility service in the first decade of the next century. With technology advancements, particularly higher values of reactor outlet temperature, the potential exists for an efficiency increase to over 60%. This paper focuses on the design and development of the helium gas turbine power conversion system.
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