HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Safety analysis and considerations for HTTR steam reforming hydrogen/methanol co-production system

Abstract

The following issue is discussed in the present paper, so as to develop the measures for ensuring the reactor safety from troubles or accidents in the steam reforming system. How to protect the reactor from upsets in the steam reforming system, in particular, to clarify how large magnitude in disturbances in the reforming system triggers a reactor scram. A simplified analytical model has been developed so as to analyze transient behaviours of the total system, using a transient thermal-hydraulics computer code for HTGRs, THYDE-HTGR. Analytical results suggested the following measures for protecting the reactor. Steam generated at the steam generator should be accumulated once in a large volume of a drum, and then a small portion of the steam flows to the steam reformer as feedstock. This is because if all steam is fed to the steam reformer, a decrease in flow rate of methane leads to a corresponding decrease in feedwater flow rate and then results in a simultaneous decrease in heat removal rate of steam generator, as the ratio steam to carbon at the inlet of the reformer is controlled at the specified value.

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Reference:

Technical committee meeting on high temperature applications of nuclear energy. Oarai (Japan). 19-20 Oct 1992

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--761, pp:86-91