High temperature gas-cooled reactors

Takeda, Tetsuaki*; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Aihara, Jun; Aoki, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ho, H. Q.; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Imai, Yoshiyuki; et al.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.5, 464 Pages, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/C2018-0-05383-9

As a general overview of the research and development of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) in JAEA, this book describes the achievements by the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) on the designs, key component technologies such as fuel, reactor internals, high temperature components, etc., and operational experience such as rise-to-power tests, high temperature operation at 950C, safety demonstration tests, etc. In addition, based on the knowledge of the HTTR, the development of designs and component technologies such as high performance fuel, helium gas turbine and hydrogen production by IS process for commercial HTGRs are described. These results are very useful for the future development of HTGRs. This book is published as one of a series of technical books on fossil fuel and nuclear energy systems by the Power Energy Systems Division of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.

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.

Comparison between HTFP code and minory changed FORNAX-A code

Aihara, Jun; Ueta, Shohei; Goto, Minoru; Inaba, Yoshitomo; Shibata, Taiju; Ohashi, Hirofumi

JAEA-Technology 2018-002, 70 Pages, 2018/06

JAEA-Technology-2018-002.pdf:1.46MB

HTFP code is code for calculation of additional release amount of fission product (FP) from fuel rod in high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) after stop of fission. Minory changed Fornax-A code also can calculate that. Therefore, release behavior of Cs calculated with HTFP code was compared with that calculated with minory modified FORNAX-A code in this report. Release constants of Cs evaluated with minory modified FORNAX-A code are rather different from default values for HTFP code.

R&D status in thermochemical water-splitting hydrogen production iodine-sulfur process at JAEA

Noguchi, Hiroki; Takegami, Hiroaki; Kasahara, Seiji; Tanaka, Nobuyuki; Kamiji, Yu; Iwatsuki, Jin; Aita, Hideki; Kubo, Shinji

Energy Procedia, 131, p.113 - 118, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.09.459

The IS process is the most deeply investigated thermochemical water-splitting hydrogen production cycle. It is in a process engineering stage in JAEA to use industrial materials for components. Important engineering tasks are verification of integrity of the total process and stability of hydrogen production in harsh environment. A test facility using corrosion-resistant materials was constructed. The hydrogen production ability was 100 L/h. Operation tests of each section were conducted to confirm basic functions of reactors and separators, etc. Then, a trial operation for integration of the sections was successfully conducted to produce hydrogen of about 10 L/h for 8 hours.

IS process hydrogen production test for components and system made of industrial structural material, 1; Bunsen and HI concentration section

Tanaka, Nobuyuki; Takegami, Hiroaki; Noguchi, Hiroki; Kamiji, Yu; Iwatsuki, Jin; Aita, Hideki; Kasahara, Seiji; Kubo, Shinji

Proceedings of 8th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology (HTR 2016) (CD-ROM), p.1022 - 1028, 2016/11

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has manufactured 100 NL/h-H-scale hydrogen test apparatus. In advance to conduct the continuous operation, we investigated performance of the components in each section of the IS process. In this paper, the results of test of Bunsen and HI concentration sections was shown. In Bunsen reaction, section, we confirmed that outlet gas flow rate included no SO gas, indicating that all the feed SO gas was absorbed to the solution in the Bunsen reactor for the Bunsen reaction. On the basis of these results, we evaluated that Bunsen reactor was workable. In HI concentration section, HI concentration was conducted by EED stack. As a result, it can concentrate HI in HIx solution as theoretically predicted on the basis of the previous paper. Based on the results added to that shown in Series II, we have conducted a trial continuous operation and succeeded it for 8 hours.

Assessment of amount and concentration of tritium in HTTR-IS system based on tritium behavior during high-temperature continuous operation of HTTR

Dipu, A. L.; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Sato, Hiroyuki; Nishihara, Tetsuo

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 88, p.126 - 134, 2016/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2015.10.028

The tritium concentration in the high temperature engineering test reactor (HTTR) was measured during the high temperature continuous operation for 50 days. The tritium concentration in the primary helium gas increased after startup and reached a maximum value. It then decreased slightly over the course during the normal operation phase. Decrease of concentration of tritium in primary helium gas during the normal operation phase could be attributed to the effect of tritium chemisorption on graphite. The tritium concentration in the secondary helium gas showed a peak value during the power ramp up phase. Afterwards, it decreased gradually at the end of normal power operation. It was assessed that the concentration and total quantity of tritium in the secondary helium cooling system for the HTTR-Iodine Sulfur (IS) system can be maintained below the regulatory limits, which means the hydrogen production plant can be exempt from the safety function of the nuclear facility.

HTFP for calculation of amount of additionally released fission products from fuel rods of pin-in-block-type high temperature gas-cooled reactors during accident

Nomoto, Yasunobu; Aihara, Jun; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Isaka, Kazuyoshi; Ohashi, Hirofumi

JAEA-Data/Code 2015-008, 39 Pages, 2015/06

JAEA-Data-Code-2015-008.pdf:10.32MB

HTFP is a calculation code for amount of additionally released fission product (FP) from fuel rods of pin-in-type according to transient of core temperature at the accident of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). This code analyzes FP release inventory from core according to the transient of core temperature at the accident as an input data and considering FP release rate from a fuel compact and a graphite sleeve and radioactive decay of FP. This report describes the outline of HTFP code and its input data. The computed solutions using the HTFP code were compared to those of HTCORE code, which was used for the design of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) to validate the analysis models of the HTFP code. The comparison of HTFP code results with HTCORE code results showed the good agreement.

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.

Effect of air-oxidation on the thermal diffusivity of the nuclear grade 2-dimensional carbon fiber reinforced carbon/carbon composite

Sogabe, Toshiaki; Ishihara, Masahiro; Baba, Shinichi; Tachibana, Yukio; Yamaji, Masatoshi*; Iyoku, Tatsuo; Hoshiya, Taiji*

Materials Science Research International, 9(3), p.235 - 241, 2003/09

2D-C/C composite is one of the promising materials as a next-generation core material in gas-cooled reactors. Effect of air-oxidation on the thermal diffusivity up to 1673K of the 2D-C/C composite was investigated. The C/C composite specimens for measurement of thermal diffusivity were oxidized from 1 to 11 percent weight loss in air at 823K. Thermal diffusivity at room temperature declined 1020 percent for parallel to lamina direction and 59 percent for that of perpendicular within 11 percent weight loss by oxidation. Thermal diffusivity tended to decrease gradually as the increase of oxidation loss in parallel to lamina, however, it decreased in the beginning of oxidation pretty much and not so changed by further oxidation loss in perpendicular to lamina. Change in thermal conductivity under oxidation condition was also estimated.

Carbon-14 in neutron-irradiated graphite for graphite-moderated reactors (Joint research)

Fujii, Kimio; Matsuo, Hideto*

JAERI-Review 2002-034, 44 Pages, 2002/12

JAERI-Review-2002-034.pdf:3.34MB

Graphite material is used as a moderator and reflector of graphite-moderated gas-cooled reactors such as the Tokai Nuclear Power Station of Japan Atomic Power Company. For the decommissioning of those reactors, it is very important to obtain the density of carbon-14 in the graphite of which half-time is very long, and the development of the reduction technique for density of carbon-14 is one of the main technical issues as well. The reactor ceased the commercial operation on March 1998, and is in the process of the decommissioning. Technical developement on nuclear graphite disposal is one of the main issues, and it is pointed out that carbon-14 density is an impotant factor for the treatment on the disposal of the nuclear graphite. In order to resolve the problem, literatures survey was carried out for describing the status of technical development on resolving the problem. This report describes the outline of the literatures surveyed and the list of the related literatures is attached as well.