Handling of HTTR second driver fuel elements in assembling and storage working

Tomimoto, Hiroshi; Kato, Yasushi; Owada, Hiroyuki; Sato, Nao; Shimazaki, Yosuke ; Kozawa, Takayuki; Shinohara, Masanori ; Hamamoto, Shimpei  ; Tochio, Daisuke ; Nojiri, Naoki ; Kaneda, Makoto; Kobayashi, Shoichi; Kawano, Shuichi; Kawamoto, Taiki; Aragaki, Etsushi; Nemoto, Takahiro; Yanai, Tomohiro; Otaka, Naoki; Kawamata, Takanori ; Kondo, Makoto; Umeda, Masayuki; Nishihara, Tetsuo 

The first driver fuel of the HTTR (High Temperature Engineering test Reactor) was loaded in 1998 and the HTTR reached first criticality state in the same year. The HTTR has been operated using the first driver fuel for a decade. In Fuel elements assembling, 4770 of fuel rods which consist of 12 kinds of enrichment uranium are loaded into 150 fuel graphite blocks for HTTR second driver fuel elements. Measures of prevention of fuel rod miss loading, are employed in fuel design. Additionally, precaution of fuel handling on assembling are considered. Reception of fuel rods, assembling of fuel elements and storage of second driver fuels in the fresh fuel storage rack in the HTTR were started since June, 2008. Assembling, storage and pre-service inspection were divided into three parts. The second driver fuel assembling was completed in September, 2008. This report describes concerns of fuel handling on assembling and storage work for the HTTR fuel elements.