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Conference Article: Structural design of reactor core and support graphite components for the experimental VHTR

Abstract

The HTGR development in Japan has been pursued long since, aiming at the multipurpose use of nuclear energy, particularly the application of nuclear heat to process industries. Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has achieved remarkable progress in the design and basic technology of HTGRs in cooperation with Japanese industries and institutions as well as the international collaboration. For the past several years, the development activities have been concentrated in establishing the technical base for constructing an experimental very high temperature reactor (VHTR). The experimental VHTR is a helium-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor producing 50 MWt with the core outlet gas temperature of 950 deg C. In the course of the recent design development, a 30 MWt reactor design has been worked out aiming at the rationalization. This paper presents the structural design features of the graphite components for the experimental VHTR. Special reference is made to the structural function, design stress limit, and design method of the graphite components. The in-vessel arrangement of graphite components is shown. The core consists of an array of prismatic graphite components, and is surrounded by large sized permanent support components. Special consideration is given to decrease coolant by-pass and to increase resistance to a seismic load.

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Reference:

Specialists' meeting on graphite component structural design, JAERI Tokai (Japan), September 8-11, 1986

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). International Working Group on Gas-Cooled Reactors

IWGGCR--11, pp:58-62