China’s fourth-generation nuclear power technology leads the world in R&D and application to solve the world-class problem of safe use of nuclear energy.

　　CCTV News:In recent years, China’s nuclear power technology has developed rapidly and has entered the first phalanx of nuclear power technology in the world. Recently, China Nuclear Energy Industry Association released the Blue Book of China Nuclear Energy Development Report 2024.

　　According to the blue book, up to now, there are 26 nuclear power units under construction in China, with a total installed capacity of 30.3 million kilowatts, and both the number under construction and the installed capacity remain the first in the world. The independent third-generation nuclear power technology represented by "Hualong No.1" and "Guohe No.1" is being deployed in an orderly manner in China.

　　At the same time, China has made breakthroughs in many technical directions of the fourth generation nuclear power technology. The world’s first fourth-generation nuclear power plant put into commercial operation — — The demonstration project of Shidaowan high-temperature gas-cooled reactor has generated more than 650 million kWh since it was put into operation in December 2023. This marks that China has reached the world leading level in the research and development and application of the fourth generation nuclear power technology, which is also a pioneering work of China leading the world in nuclear energy technology.

　　Fourth Generation Nuclear High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor: A Safer Future Energy

　　What are the characteristics of the fourth generation nuclear power technology? What does "high temperature gas cooled reactor" mean? In addition to the "high temperature gas cooled reactor", what other reactor types are there in the fourth generation nuclear energy system?

　　The world’s first fourth-generation nuclear power plant has an installed capacity of 200,000 kilowatts.

　　Shidaowan High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Demonstration Project is located in Rongcheng City, Shandong Province. It is a landmark achievement of major national science and technology projects with completely independent intellectual property rights in China, and it is also the first fourth-generation nuclear power plant in the world. The installed capacity of the project is 200,000 kilowatts, and the power generation is enough to meet the electricity demand of 200,000 households.

　　High temperature: The reactor core is made of high temperature resistant materials.

　　High temperature gas-cooled reactor includes two key words: "high temperature" and "gas cooling". High temperature means that the core of the reactor is made of high temperature resistant materials such as graphite and ceramics, so that the core temperature can reach nearly 1000 degrees Celsius.

　　Air cooling: inert gas helium is used for core cooling and heat transfer.

　　Air cooling means that the reactor uses inert gas helium for core cooling and heat transfer, which is different from the "water cooling" mode of traditional nuclear power plants. Helium is not easy to react with other substances in the reactor at high temperature, so it is called high temperature gas cooled reactor.

　　Zhang Zuoyi, chief designer of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant, a major national science and technology project, introduced that in 2023, this reactor was used for a very important safety verification test. After stopping the whole external output energy system, the reactor was able to "brake" itself and slowly cool down, which scientifically proved the "inherent safety" of the reactor.