Operation, test, research and development of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) (FY2022)

Department of HTTR

This report summarizes the activities carried out in the fiscal year 2022 about the operation and maintenance of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), the R&Ds using the HTTR and so on. The HTTR is the first Japanese test reactor of High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) type with 30MW in thermal power and whose maximum outlet coolant temperature achieved 950C. HTGRs are regarded as the promising candidates of the Next Generation Nuclear Plants conformed to the future decarbonized society because of the inherent safety characteristics as well as high temperature heat supply capability for not only a power generation but for wide-ranging industrial uses such as a hydrogen production and so on. The purpose of the HTTR is establishment of basic HTGR technologies, demonstration of HTGR safety characteristics and so on. The HTTR has had a lot of experience of HTGRs' operation and maintenance throughout rated power operations, safety demonstration tests, long-term high temperature operations and demonstration tests relevant to HTGRs' R&Ds. In the fiscal year 2022, we conducted maintenance of the HTTR such as countermeasures of differential pressure rise event for the primary helium gas circulator's filters occurred at an operation in the year 2021.