Structural integrity assessments of helium components in the primary cooling system during the safety demonstration test using the HTTR

HTTRを用いた安全性実証試験におけるヘリウム系機器の健全性評価

坂場 成昭 ; 橘 幸男 ; 中川 繁昭  ; 濱本 真平  

Sakaba, Nariaki; Tachibana, Yukio; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Hamamoto, Shimpei

高温ガス炉固有の安全性を定量的に実証するため、HTTRを用いた安全性実証試験が行われている。安全性実証試験による成果は、将来高温ガス炉及び第四世代原子炉システムの候補の一つであるVHTRの経済性の向上につながることが期待されている。安全性実証試験の一つとして実施されている冷却材流量の部分喪失を模擬した循環機停止試験では、温度及び冷却材であるヘリウム中の不純物組成が過渡状態となる。そこで、循環機停止試験における、温度及びヘリウム中の化学組成の実測値をもとに、1次系の主要な機器である、高温二重管,1次加圧水冷却器等の健全性を評価した。温度変化に基づく応力評価及び化学組成変化による炭素析出の評価の結果、原子炉出力100%からの試験における1次系主要機器の健全性が確認された。

Safety demonstration tests using the HTTR are now underway in order to verify the inherent safety features and to improve the safety design and evaluation technologies for HTGRs, as well as to contribute to research and development for the VHTR, which is one of the Generation IV reactor candidates. The coolant flow reduction test by running down gas circulators, which is one of the safety demonstration tests, is a simulation test of anticipated transients without scram. During the coolant flow reduction test, temperature of the high-temperature helium components and chemistry in the primary circuit are changed rapidly. This paper describes the structural integrity assessments of helium components, e.g. helium pipes, heat exchangers, during the coolant flow reduction test. From the result of this evaluation, it was found that the helium components were kept their structural integrity during temperature and chemistry transient condition in the coolant flow reduction test from the reactor power at 30%. It was also confirmed by this assessment that the coolant flow reduction test will be able to perform with its enough safety margins from the reactor power at 100%.