Experimental test plan of air ingress for HTGR

Terada, Atsuhiko  ; Yan, X. ; Hino, Ryutaro; Sato, Hiroyuki  

When a primary pipe of the HTGR ruptures, helium coolant gas in the reactor blows out into the reactor confinement structure and the reactor primary system depressurizes. Consequently, the core graphite structures may be oxidized by the air and the complicated natural convection of multi component gas mixtures with chemical reactions would take place inside the reactor. Hence, JAEA studies showed the air ingress phenomena in the depressurized reactor and proposed a new passive mechanism of sustained counter air diffusion (SCAD) that has been shown effective in preventing major air ingress through natural circulation in the reactor. In the present plan, JAEA will construct an experimental reactor mockup including reactor core, the SCAD system, pressure vessel, coaxial pipe and so on. The core is made of graphite or ceramics and heated by electric heaters to allow for test operation up to 1200C. Present status of these activities will be presented.