Derivation of ideal power distribution to minimize the maximum kernel migration rate for nuclear design of pin-in-block type HTGR

Okita, Shoichiro; Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(1), p.9 - 16, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1791762

Suppressing the kernel migration rates, which depend on both the fuel temperature and the fuel temperature gradient, under normal operation condition is quite important from the viewpoint of the fuel integrity for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors. The presence of the ideal axial power distribution to minimize the maximum kernel migration rate allows us to improve efficiency of design work. Therefore, we propose a new method based on Lagrange multiplier method in consideration of thermohydraulic design in order to obtain the ideal axial power distribution to minimize the maximum kernel migration rate. For one of the existing conceptual designs performed by JAEA, the maximum kernel migration rate for the power distribution to minimize the maximum kernel migration rate proposed in this study is lower by approximately 10% than that for the power distribution as a conventional design target to minimize the maximum fuel temperature.

Research and development on high burnup HTGR fuels in JAEA

Ueta, Shohei; Mizuta, Naoki; Sasaki, Koei; Sakaba, Nariaki; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Yan, X.

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 7(3), p.19-00571_1 - 19-00571_12, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.19-00571

JAEA has been progressing to design HTGR fuels for not only small-type practical HTGRs but also VHTR proposed in GIF which can be utilized for various purposes with high-temperature heat at 750 to 950 C. To increase economy of these HTGRs, JAEA has been upgrading the design method for the HTGR fuel, which can maintain their integrities at the burnup of three to four times higher than that of the conventional HTTR fuel. Design principles and specifications of various concepts of the high burnup HTGR fuels designed by JAEA are reported. As the latest results on post-irradiation examinations of the high burnup HTGR fuel progressing in a framework of international collaboration with Kazakhstan, irradiation shrinkage rate of the fuel compact as a function of fast neutron fluence was obtained at around 100 GWd/t. Furthermore, the future R&Ds needed for the high burnup HTGR fuel are described based on these experimental results.

Code-B-2.5.2 for stress calculation for SiC-TRISO fuel particle

Aihara, Jun; Goto, Minoru; Ueta, Shohei; Tachibana, Yukio

JAEA-Data/Code 2019-018, 22 Pages, 2020/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2019-018.pdf:1.39MB

Concept of Pu-burner high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) was proposed for purpose of more safely reducing amount of recovered Pu. In Pu-burner HTGR concept, coated fuel particle (CFP), with ZrC coated yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) containing PuO (PuO-YSZ) small particle and with tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) coating, is employed for very high burn-up and high nuclear proliferation resistance. ZrC layer is oxygen getter. On the other hand, we have developed Code-B-2.5.2 for prediction of pressure vessel failure probabilities of SiC-tri-isotropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles for HTGRs under operation by modification of an existing code, Code-B-2. The main purpose of modification is preparation of applying code for CFPs of Pu-burner HTGR. In this report, basic formulae are described.

Development of security and safety fuel for Pu-burner HTGR; Test and characterization for ZrC coating

Ueta, Shohei; Aihara, Jun; Goto, Minoru; Tachibana, Yukio; Okamoto, Koji*

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 5(5), p.18-00084_1 - 18-00084_9, 2018/10

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.18-00084

To develop the security and safety fuel (3S-TRISO fuel) for Pu-burner high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), R&D on zirconium carbide (ZrC) directly coated on yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been started in the Japanese fiscal year 2015. As results of the direct coating test of ZrC on the dummy YSZ particle, ZrC layers with 18 - 21 microns of thicknesses have been obtained with 0.1 kg of particle loading weight. No deterioration of YSZ exposed by source gases of ZrC bromide process was observed by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM).

Investigation of uncertainty caused by random arrangement of coated fuel particles in HTTR criticality calculations

Ho, H. Q.; Honda, Yuki; Goto, Minoru; Takada, Shoji

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 112, p.42 - 47, 2018/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2017.09.043

Numerical investigation of the random arrangement effect of coated fuel particles on the criticality of HTTR fuel compact using MCNP6

Ho, H. Q.; Honda, Yuki; Goto, Minoru; Takada, Shoji

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 103, p.114 - 121, 2017/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2017.01.026

Irradiation performance of HTGR fuel in WWR-K research reactor

Ueta, Shohei; Shaimerdenov, A.*; Gizatulin, S.*; Chekushina, L.*; Honda, Masaki*; Takahashi, Masashi*; Kitagawa, Kenichi*; Chakrov, P.*; Sakaba, Nariaki

Proceedings of 7th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology (HTR 2014) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2014/10

A capsule irradiation test with the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) fuel is being carried out using WWR-K research reactor in the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Republic of Kazakhstan (INP) to attain 100 GWd/t-U of burnup under normal operating condition of a practical small-sized HTGR. This is the first HTGR fuel irradiation test for INP in Kazakhstan collaborated with Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in frame of International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) project. In the test, TRISO coated fuel particle with low-enriched UO (less than 10% of U) is used, which was newly designed by JAEA to extend burnup up to 100 GWd/t-U comparing with that of the HTTR (33 GWd/t-U). Both TRISO and fuel compact as the irradiation test specimen were fabricated in basis of the HTTR fuel technology by Nuclear Fuel Industries, Ltd. in Japan. A helium-gas-swept capsule and a swept-gas sampling device installed in WWR-K were designed and constructed by INP. The irradiation test has been started in October 2012 and will be completed up to the end of February 2015. The irradiation test is in the progress up to 69 GWd/t of burnup, and integrity of new TRISO fuel has been confirmed. In addition, as predicted by the fuel design, fission gas release was observed due to additional failure of as-fabricated SiC-defective fuel.

Annular core experiments in HTTR's start-up core physics tests

Fujimoto, Nozomu; Yamashita, Kiyonobu*; Nojiri, Naoki; Takeuchi, Mitsuo; Fujisaki, Shingo; Nakano, Masaaki*

Nuclear Science and Engineering, 150(3), p.310 - 321, 2005/07

https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE03-79

Annular cores were formed in startup-core-physics tests of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) to obtain experimental data for verification of calculation codes. The first criticality, control rod positions at critical conditions, neutron flux distribution, excess reactivity etc. were measured as representative data. These data were evaluated with Monte Carlo code MVP that can consider the heterogeneity of coated fuel particles (CFP) distributed randomly in fuel compacts directly. It was made clear that the heterogeneity effect of CFP on reactivity for annular cores is smaller than that for fully-loaded cores. Measured and calculated effective multiplication factors (k) were agreed with differences less than 1%k. Measured neutron flux distributions agreed with calculated results. The revising method was applied for evaluation of excess reactivity to exclude negative shadowing effect of control rods. The revised and calculated excess reactivity agreed with differences less than 1%k/k.

Research and development plan for advanced high temperature gas cooled reactor fuels and graphite components (Contract research)

Sawa, Kazuhiro; Ueta, Shohei; Shibata, Taiju; Sumita, Junya; Ohashi, Jumpei; Tochio, Daisuke

JAERI-Tech 2005-024, 34 Pages, 2005/03

JAERI-Tech-2005-024.pdf:2.15MB

The Very-High-Temperature Reactor (VHTR) is one of the strong candidates for the Generation IV Nuclear Energy System. JAERI has developed Zirconium carbide (ZrC)-coated fuel particle and ZrC coating layer is expected to maintain its intactness under higher temperature and burn-up comparing conventional SiC-coating layer. JAERI carries out (1) ZrC-coating process development by large-scale coater, (2) inspection method development and (3) irradiation test and post irradiation experiment of ZrC coated particles. Also, JAERI carries out reactivity insertion tests to clarify the coating failure mechanism and tries to increase allowable temperature limit in case of reactivity insertion accident. Furthermore, JAERI develops non-destructive evaluation methods for mechanical properties of graphite components by ultrasonic testing and micro-indentation technique. This report describes these research and development plan and results of FY 2004 as a MEXT contact research.

Reprocessing technologies of the High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) fuel

Sumita, Junya; Ueta, Shohei; Kunitomi, Kazuhiko; Yoshimuta, Shigeharu*; Sawa, Kazuhiro

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 2(4), p.546 - 554, 2003/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj2002.2.546

A High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) is particularly attractive due to capability of producing high temperature helium gas and its inherent safety characteristic. Research and development of high temperature gas turbine plant and high temperature heat utilizing technology are now undergoing. The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) is a research facility constructed by the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. This paper describes reprocessing technology of HTGR fuels. Coated fuel particles, consisted of a microsphere of low enriched UO with TRISO particles, are used as the HTGR fuels. In order to reprocess HTGR fuels, a head-end process is needed and JAERI had confirmed jet-grind method as basic technologies of the head-end process. Since Purex method can be used after the head-end process, a reprocessing system for the HTGR fuels could be established. Also the preliminary study on the methodology for disposing graphite blocks in a HTGR was carried out, and its evaluation results were briefly presented.