Present Status of HTTR Project

摘要

The High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) is particularly attractive due to its capability of producing high temperature helium gas as well as its inherent safety characteristics. Hence, perspective of HTGR as possible future nuclear energy source was discussed in the review of "Long-term Program for Research, Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy" by the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan, and the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), which is the first HTGR in Japan, was successfully constructed at the Oarai Research Establishment of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The HTTR attained the first criticality on November 10, 1998 and achieved the full power of 30MW and the reactor outlet coolant temperature of 950°C on April 19, 2004. The hydrogen production was demonstrated over one week with the IS process bench plant using newly developed control method and devices. The purpose of the HTTR project is to establish and upgrade HTGR technologies. It is widely recognized to the nuclear community that the timely and successful operation and tests of the HTTR are major milestones in development of the HTGR and high temperature nuclear process heat application. Extensive tests such as safety demonstration tests are now performing using the HTTR and a process heat application system will be coupled to the HTTR, where hydrogen will be produced directly from the nuclear energy.