HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Development programme on hydrogen production in HTTR

Y.INAGAKI, T.NISHIHARA, T.TAKEDA, K.HADA, M.OGAWA, S.SHIOZAWA, Y.MIYAMOTO (JAERI, Japan)

Abstract

In Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, a hydrogen production system is being designed to produce hydrogen by means of a steam reforming process of natural gas using nuclear heat (10MW, 905 deg. C) supplied by the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR). The safety principle and criteria are also being investigated in the HTTR hydrogen production system. A facility for an out-of-pile test prior to the demonstration test with the HTTR hydrogen production system is under manufacturing. The out-of-pile test facility simulates key components downstream an intermediate heat exchanger of the HTTR hydrogen production system on a scale of 1 to 30. The test on safety, controllability and performance of the hydrogen production system will be started in 2001 and continued for 4 years or longer. In parallel to this, a hydrogen permeation test and a corrosion test of a catalyst tube of a steam reformer are being carried out to obtain data necessary for the design of the system.

As for the HTTR hydrogen production system, a conceptual design is in progress, and check and review for the demonstration program will be made in 2000 from a financial point of view as well as technical view.

Following a brief overview of the program, the design achievements including safety philosophy so far and technical issues to be resolved are to be summarized in the paper.

view the full text of this article (9 pages, format: PDF, size= 621kB)

key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Proceedings of a Technical Committee Meeting held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, 2-4 November 1998
International Atomic Energy Agency, International Working Group on Gas-Cooled Reactors, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--1210, pp:213-221