the world's attention once again focused on the beach coast at the southernmost tip of China's Shandong Peninsula. Here, China's national science and technology major special high-temperature gas-cooled successfully completed the 168-hour continuous operation assessment and began commercial operation, marking the completion and operation of the world's first modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor in our country.
The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plant demonstration project was officially put into commercial operation. Tsinghua University Vice President Zeng Rong (third from right) witnessed it with the guests.
From this moment on, the green electricity generated through the continuous and stable operation of the dual reactors will be continuously delivered to thousands of households along the UHV lines!
The Tsinghua University nuclear energy team bravely ventured into the "no man's land", innovatively proposed and broke through a series of key core technologies, successfully developed the best-performing nuclear fuel elements in the world, developed the production process and equipment technology system with the largest production capacity in the world, and focused on Break through major technical challenges such as high-temperature helium cooling and sealing for large reactors and high-temperature nuclear-grade system and equipment manufacturing. Engineering design and construction has accumulated a total of 50,000 drawings and 100,000 pages of documents, and developed more than 15,000 units (sets) of nuclear island equipment with high technical content and strict quality requirements. The localization rate of equipment manufacturing is as high as 93.4%, and the first unit (set) developed There are more than 2,200 pieces of equipment, and more than 660 pieces of world-first equipment... Many achievements have helped my country achieve a large number of core key technological breakthroughs from "0 to 1" in the fourth generation of advanced nuclear energy technology.
Those who strive overcome difficulties and succeed by shouldering heavy responsibilities and persevering. From "following" in the experimental reactor stage to "leading" in the demonstration project stage, and then entering the commercial stage that can be transformed into advanced productivity, behind this is the hard work of Tsinghua Nuclear Energy Personnel for decades.
In September 2021, Wu Zongxin (left), Wang Dazhong (middle), and Zhang Zuoyi (right) were at the Shidao Bay High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Demonstration Project Site
During this period, the older generation of Tsinghua nuclear energy people represented by Wang Dazhong and Wu Zongxin, with their infinite love and responsibility for the motherland, resolutely aimed at "inherent safety" and remained indomitable .
Some members of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor team of the Institute of Nuclear Research
Under their words and deeds, Zhang Zuoyi, dean of the Nuclear Research Institute of Tsinghua University and chief designer of the demonstration project, led the younger generation to work hard and persevere on the journey of independent scientific research, independent design, and independent construction. After going through countless hardships, they finally succeeded. Turn "no precedent" into "successful case". In 2021, Academician Wang Dazhong, a leader in realizing the inherent safety of reactors, won the country's highest science and technology award. In December of the same year, the Shidaowan High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Nuclear Power Station Demonstration Project achieved grid-connected power generation for the first time. So far, it has generated more than 350 million kWh during the commissioning process. At the same time, marked by the commercial operation of Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant, the commercial promotion of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors has slowly begun, and new commercial high-temperature gas-cooled reactor projects have been launched in several provinces in my country.
"The modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor can provide high-parameter industrial steam to achieve cogeneration of heat and power, and can also connect multiple modules in parallel. It will play a strategic role in industrial heating, hydrogen production and other fields." Zhang Zuoyi introduced. Relying on high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology, Tsinghua University has carried out research on hydrogen production research and development and other industrial promotion prospects. "In my country's industrial steam application market, it has commercial competitiveness and is expected to become a major innovative industry that helps my country and the world reach carbon neutrality."
Facing the future, high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology will contribute more "green power" to the optimization and upgrading of the energy structure of China and even the world. Tsinghua Nuclear Energy people will continue to overcome difficulties and set sail on the journey of promoting scientific and technological innovation.
