Fuel performance under continuous high-temperature operation of the HTTR

Abstract

The HTTR (high-temperature engineering test reactor) fuel, the first mass-produced HTGR (hightemperature gas-cooled reactor) fuel in Japan, has been fabricated with high quality on the basis of design principle and safety criteria to minimize both as-fabricated failure and on-operating-additional failure of the coated fuel particle. A precise technology for evaluating irradiation performance of the HTTR fuel has been developed by measuring fission gas released from the fuel and constructing the fission gas release model. Through the HTTR operations, including the continuous high-temperature operation at 950 • C for 50 days, the measured fractional release of fission gas from the fuel was less than 1.2 × 10 −8 , and a superior irradiation performance of Japanese HTGR fuel has been demonstrated. The HTTR fuel technologies could make a prospect for realization of the VHTR (very high temperature reactor) as a Generation IV nuclear power plant as well as the practical HTGR for the first time. This paper describes the fuel performance under continuous high-temperature operation of the HTTR.

Development plan of high burnup fuel for high temperature gas-cooled reactors in future

“…Email neering Test Reactor (HTTR) project [4]. The HTTR is a 30 MWt HTGR constructed in JAEA [5][6][7][8].…”

Study of Morphological, Structural, and Strength Properties of Model Prototypes of New Generation TRISO Fuels

“…The test samples of TRISO fuel prototypes were obtained for further research from Nuclear Fuel Industries, Ltd. (Muramatsu, Tokai-mura, Japan), which is developing this type of fuel for testing. The work [ 55 ] presents a detailed description of the technology for manufacturing such samples, which were taken as objects of this study. The objects of study in this work were models of the TRISO fuel prototype, in which the uranium oxide core was replaced by silicon carbide.…”

“…The objects of study in this work were models of the TRISO fuel prototype, in which the uranium oxide core was replaced by silicon carbide. All other coatings were applied in full accordance with the manufacturing technology of the original fuel prototype [ 55 ]. The purpose of manufacturing such mock-ups of the fuel prototype is to expand the range of laboratories for independent testing of its wear resistance and anti-corrosion properties, while observing the principles of non-proliferation of nuclear materials and radiation safety.…”