The applications discussed previously in this section relate mainly to low-temperature applications. There are a number of interesting medium and higher temperature process

heat-related applications associated with oil refining and liquid fuel production from coal and hydrogen production. A particular interest is in hydrogen production for future generation reactors; this has already been discussed in Chapter 12.

Nuclear heat applications at medium and high temperature have not yet been developed at industrial scale. They are, however, being researched at smaller laboratory scale. The most promising systems are the high-temperature gas cooled reactors. The present near­term designs (GT-MHR, PBMR) are evolutions from smaller prototype reactors that operated in the UK (Dragon), Germany (AVR & THTR-300), and the US (Peach Bottom and Fort St Vrain).

Some particular reactor concepts that are being considered in the development of future high — and medium-temperature applications are summarised in Table 14.8. These relate to on-going programmes in China, Japan and Russia. These reactor systems are described briefly below.