A SMALL MODULAR REACTOR DESIGN FOR MULTIPLE ENERGY APPLICATIONS: HTR50S

• Main Authors: X. YAN, Y. TACHIBANA, H. OHASHI, H. SATO, Y. TAZAWA, K. KUNITOMI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2013-06-01
• Series: Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• Subjects: HTTR; GTHTR300; HTGR; Gas Turbine; Hydrogen Production; Process Heat; IS Process
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1738573315300267

HTR50S is a small modular reactor system based on HTGR. It is designed for a triad of applications to be implemented in successive stages. In the first stage, a base plant for heat and power is constructed of the fuel proven in JAEA's 950°C, 30MWt test reactor HTTR and a conventional steam turbine to minimize development risk. While the outlet temperature is lowered to 750°C for the steam turbine, thermal power is raised to 50MWt by enabling 40% greater power density in 20% taller core than the HTTR. However the fuel temperature limit and reactor pressure vessel diameter are kept. In second stage, a new fuel that is currently under development at JAEA will allow the core outlet temperature to be raised to 900°C for the purpose of demonstrating more efficient gas turbine power generation and high temperature heat supply. The third stage adds a demonstration of nuclear-heated hydrogen production by a thermochemical process. A licensing approach to coupling high temperature industrial process to nuclear reactor will be developed. The low initial risk and the high longer-term potential for performance expansion attract development of the HTR50S as a multipurpose industrial or distributed energy source.