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The highest priority in GFR R&D must be assigned to areas unique for the technology, where there is a limited or even no possibility to adopt or adapt existing and proven solutions. Many obvious synergies exist between VHTR and GFR, such as the same type of coolant with very similar target primary temperatures and pressure. So, a lot of solutions working for HTR in normal operation, such as sealing, valves and blowers, can be utilized in GFR as well.
However, in accident conditions, behaviour of the two systems is very different. HTR can rely on cooling using conduction and radiation, and its huge mass of graphite in the core providing substantial heat sink. For a compact core of GFR, it is necessary to employ specialized systems ensuring constant and sufficient flow of coolant through the core. To find technical solutions to this problem that would not put the overall economic feasibility of the technology at risk is one of the primary goals of R&D activities on GFR.
Another topic specific to GFR is the fuel and core materials in general. Combination of very high temperatures and fast spectrum of neutrons puts very high demands on the used materials. Development of this area had been long rather slow, however, after the Fukushima accident, the boom in development of so-called ATF (accident tolerant fuel materials) is favourable also for GFR, especially in SiC composites.
