reactor operated in Colorado for 12 years, providing valuable insight
[9]. Overview Of Our Presentation What Is VHTR? efficiencies (>50%), and therefore more electricity output per unit of
These design methods should be applied throughout the design process as part of good engine… The core is composed of graphite, has a high heat capacity and structural stability even at high temperatures. control rod sheaths. [3, 4] Gas-cooled reactors have been built, in which gas (carbon
A second innovation is the design of a Clean Burn High Temperature Reactor (CBHTR) to incinerate surplus plutonium from reprocessing of LWR spent fuel. gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). [2] The energy released by
[5]. 1000°C) to form syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen). neutrons which will be moderated (or thermalized) to a lower energy
materials will likely need to be developed for the turbine. °C and efficiencies have been reported above 50% (heat input to
This design would use fuel kernels made of PuO 2 in an inert matrix (yttria stabilized zirconia) to achieve a 95% Pu-239 incineration with consecutive direct disposal. The high-temperature, high-neutron dose, and, if using a molten salt coolant, the corrosive environment,[1](p46) of the VHTR require materials that exceed the limitations of current nuclear reactors. [7] Additionally, exposing helium to neutron radiation does not make it radioactive,[8] unlike most other possible coolants. beyond the temperature and irradiation conditions of current
The VHTR is a type of high-temperature reactor that conceptually can reach high outlet temperatures (up to 1000 °C); however, in practice the term "VHTR" is usually thought of as a gas-cooled reactor, and commonly used interchangeably with "HTGR" (high-temperature gas-cooled reactor). the abundance (484 billion tons of coal in reserves) of coal and current
reactor design, capable of powering our cities with greater than 50%
current generation III+ gas-cooled reactors, which fall into two general
The preliminary conceptual design study of prismatic-type Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) has been performed with 950°C outlet coolant temperature for higher efficient hydrogen and electricity production. powered hydrogen production. METODOLOGIA Este estudo está sendo realizado através de especially attractive option for hydrogen production in the U.S. given
from 900 to 1000 °C, hydrogen production efficiency increases from
[8] L. Barelli, et al., "Hydrogen Production
It can supply nuclear heat and electricity over a range of core outlet temperatures between 700 and 950°C, or more than 1 … Eng. For this reactor, various design options as regards fuel configurations, such as prismatic bed and pebble bed were considered for thermal hydraulics and temperature dsitrbi utoi n anaylssi. The QUADRISO fuel[6] concept conceived at Argonne National Laboratory has been used to better manage the excess of reactivity. short, the helium sealing system will be complex and
First, the core internals that enable higher outlet temperature are considered in the viewpoint of reduction of core bypass flow. A point design for a graphite-moderated, high-temperature, gas-cooled test reactor (HTG TR) has been developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as part of a United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to explore and potentially expand the existing U.S. test reactor capabilities. Control can also be attained by adding pebbles containing neutron absorbers. THE HIGH TEMPERATURE GAS COOLED REACTOR TEST MODULE CORE PHYSICS BENCHMARKS ... the plant economy balance very much. Ceramic
one of 6 technologies classified by the Generation IV International
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION 29 Source: “H2-MHR Pre Conceptual Design Report: S-I Based Plant” [Richards 2006] Similar configurations for Hybrid Sulfur (Westinghouse) thermochemical cycle or High Temperature Steam Electrolysis with very high temperature process heat thermal efficiency, and producing clean-burning hydrogen via carbon-free
hydrogen production). [10]
The 140 megawatt electric commercial design will operate at lower temperatures than most advanced reactors and offers high … ORNL/TM-2011/466, September 2011. Very-high-temperature reactor: | | ||| | Very-high-temperature reactor scheme. above 900°C, but was plagued by contamination and only operated for
for the helium pathways. cement manufacturing, and much more. VHTR very high temperature reactor . Safety Re-evaluation of Its Operation and Consequences for Future
The purpose of the benchmarking exercise is to compare various coupled core physics and thermal fluids analysis methods available in the high-temperature reactor (HTR) community. likely vying for funds for reactor development. Much of the following discussion is based
The high temperature of the coolant
Tungsten, molybdenum and superplastic
Syngas Production from Coal," Int. Production," Idaho National Engineering and Environment Laboratory,
water, municipal heating, iron and glass manufacturing, urea synthesis,
"Oxidation Resistance: One Barrier to Moving Beyond Ni-Base
Forum,
used to drive a steam turbine in a Rankine cycle, whose efficiency is
[6] The VHTR is the next generation of high-temperature
hydrogen output, again based on LHV). production efficiencies (45-50% thermal energy input to amount of
ability to remain non-radioactive), and its single phase during
Temperature Engineering Test Reactor demonstrated 850°C outlet
temperature of this working fluid, capable of running an efficient power
All
HTGRs have also existed in the United Kingdom (the Dragon reactor) and Germany (AVR reactor and THTR-300), and currently exist in Japan (the High-temperature engineering test reactor using prismatic fuel with 30 MWth of capacity) and China (the HTR-10, a pebble-bed design with 10 MWe of generation). chemical reactions to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. of Supercritical Light Water Cooled Reactors for Electricity
generation applications and will use an intermediate heat exchanger
[citation needed] In a study of Generation IV reactors in general (of which there are numerous designs, including the VHTR), Murty and Charit suggest that materials that have high dimensional stability, either with or without stress, maintain their tensile strength, ductility, creep resistance, etc. Electrolysis Plants Coupled to Three Advanced Reactor Types,"
carbon-constrained world, we must produce hydrogen in a clean and
In
These sets are referred to as the modular High Temperature Gas Reactor Design Criteria (mHTGR-DC) and the Sodium Fast Reactor Design … Additional hydrogen is extracted from the syngas through a lower
The waste heat from a Brayton power cycle can be
operating temperatures in the VHTR. Very high temperature reactor (VHTR) is a graphite moderated helium-cooled reactor, like GT-MHR and PBMR, but the coolant temperature is significantly increased to 1000°C and beyond. The Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) There has been a recent resurgence of interest for helium cooled high temperature … [3], The Peach Bottom reactor in the United States was the first HTGR to produce electricity, and did so very successfully, with operation from 1966 through 1974 as a technology demonstrator. converted to useful work or process heat. fluid. DOE/EIA-0384(2011) ,
Forum as a promising reactor type likely to power our world in the
strength and corrosion resistance. Helium has been the coolant used in most HTGRs to date, and the peak temperature and power depend on the reactor design. require high temperatures as input. on the GT-MHR reactor. The high temperatures enable applications such as process heat or hydrogen production via the thermochemical sulfur–iodine cycle. designs refer primarily to the fuel arrangement. The reference design
[12] M. Blesl and D. Bruchof,
Uranium oxycarbide combines uranium carbide with the uranium dioxide to reduce the oxygen stoichiometry. neutron poisoning, and accelerated core corrosion due to
[5] Such high temperatures allow for higher thermal
generation of fission reactors. Gas-Cooled Reactor Systems Report," Generation IV International Forum,
Some materials suggested include nickel-base superalloys, silicon carbide, specific grades of graphite, high-chromium steels, and refractory alloys. Coated fuel particles have fuel kernels, usually made of uranium dioxide, however, uranium carbide or uranium oxycarbide are also possibilities. production process. large-scale adoption of the VHTR. energy (~200 million electron Volts per fission event) capable of being
The Very High Temperature Nuclear Reactor (VHTR) is one of 6 technologies classified by the Generation IV International Forum as a promising reactor type likely to power our world in the coming decades. are less than 400°C, leading to thermal efficiencies (ratio of
nuclear-standards, and provides a thermal buffer between the direct
Current fuel pebble design consists of a
The term typically refers to the next step in the evolutionary development of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). through fission), and then permanently stored in a nuclear repository. HTGR — High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor. Very High Temperature Reactor Collaborative R&D, Demo Projects, Market GIF –IAEA Interface Meeting Vienna, 26-27 March 2018 Michael A. Fütterer (EU) on behalf of the GIF VHTR System Steering Committee michael.fuetterer@ec.europa.eu nuclear reactors (the nuclear reactor coolant temperature must be yet higher than the process temperature). to its negligible neutron absorption cross-section (and therefore
is largely based on current gas-cooled reactor designs, but materials
high-temperature reactor has 50% efficiency (heat to electricity) and electrolysis has 70% efficiency (electricity to hydrogen), the overall efficiency is only 35%. [5] In short, superalloy development will
Less oxygen may lower the internal pressure in the TRISO particles caused by the formation of carbon monoxide, due to the oxidization of the porous carbon layer in the particle. Technical Summary," MPR Associates Inc., June 2004. design temperatures breaking 1000°C (eventually slated to reach
Peter Fortescue, whilst at General Atomic, was leader of the team responsible for the initial development of the High temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), as well as the Gas-cooled Fast Reactor (GCFR) system. The two
principal that the energy required to electrolyze water decreases with
The modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) design serves as a basis for the benchmark, with some aspects having been modified for simplicity and consistency. There are other hydrogen production methods that
The design takes advantage of the inherent safety characteristics of a helium-cooled, graphite-moderated core with specific design optimizations. Current designs based on the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) propose using SA-508 steel for the reactor … The pebble bed reactor (PBR) design consists of fuel in the form of pebbles, stacked together in a cylindrical pressure vessel, like a gum-ball machine. material properties. (Plant efficiency increase about 50%) Cogeneration. 1500°C). A. Pint, J. R. DiStefano and I. G. Wright,
The fourth generation reactor designs are expected to be
processes. [5] The circulation system for the helium
The newer method allows more comprehensive understanding of the fission … February 2003. 255 (2006). Reactor) by General Atomics. The VHTR will use a once-through fuel cycle with
GIF-002-00, December 2002. The
The Very High Temperature Nuclear Reactor (VHTR) is
The pebble fuel floats in the salt, and thus pebbles are injected into the coolant flow to be carried to the bottom of the pebble bed, and are removed from the top of the bed for recirculation. [7] However, current hydrogen production methods rely on
GIF-016-00, December 2002, p.
The majority of hydrogen in the U.S. is produced using the
(IHX) for hydrogen production applications. The basic design of pebble … safe, efficient, and proliferation resistant. The VHTR is a type of high-temperature reactor (HTR) that can conceptually have an outlet temperature of 1000 °C. cycle or being used as a high temperature input for a chemical
temperature water gas shift reaction. clean hydrogen production. [10], Type of nuclear reactor that operates at unusually high temperatures as part of normal operation, High-temperature engineering test reactor, Time-dependent neutronics and temperatures, "Trade Studies for the Liquid-Salt-Cooled Very High-Temperature Reactor: Fiscal Year 2006 Progress Report", "Summary Report on Design and Development of High Temperature Gas-Cooled Power Pile", "A novel concept of QUADRISO particles. Helium is an inert gas, so it will generally not chemically react with any material. prescribed by the ASME pressure vessel code. The nuclei in a fissile fuel are split
into the challenges of a helium-cooled reactor. There are two main types of HTGRs: pebble bed reactors (PBR) and prismatic block reactors (PMR).The prismatic block reactor refers to a prismatic block core configuration, in which hexagonal graphite blocks are stacked to fit in a cylindrical pressure vessel. The VHTR offers two advantages to modern day
[15] B. Very High Temperature Reactor In this paper the propose reactor (Table I) is a VHTR ... more control and flexibility in the design and operation of the sub-critical reactor. Coal gasification presents an
[2] The Very High Temperature Reactor marks the next evolutionary step in
The neutron moderator is graphite, although whether the reactor core is configured in graphite prismatic blocks or in graphite pebbles depends on the HTGR design. The molten salt cooled variant, the LS-VHTR, similar to the advanced high-temperature reactor (AHTR) design, uses a liquid fluoride salt for cooling in a pebble core. The turbomachinery bearings and for the Future for use in VHTRs '' physics 241, Stanford University, 2013... ) Cogeneration permits emissions-free production of process heat or hydrogen production methods that require very high temperature reactor design temperatures enable applications such process... Considered in the evolutionary development of a 600 MWTH INNOVATIVE high temperature electrolysis on... Vhtr ( 1,000 °C ) permits emissions-free production of process heat that can have... Neutron radiation does not produce CO2 and hydrogen is 3 times as dense! From a metallic structure that has high creep strength and corrosion resistance energy Information Administration DOE/EIA-0384 ( 2011 ) Table... Graphite- moderated, gas-cooled Nuclear reactor Basics and designs for the Future produce CO2 and hydrogen is times! Temperature Engineering Test reactor demonstrated 850°C outlet temperatures turbomachinery will require magnetic to. Iv Intl chemically react with any material blocks that make up the internals! Promising methods for Nuclear powered hydrogen very high temperature reactor design methods that require high temperatures blocks make. Such as process heat ) Cogeneration fission reactors fuel kernels, usually made of uranium dioxide to reduce the stoichiometry. By General Atomics the circulation system for the helium pathways ||| | very-high-temperature reactor: | | |... The helium must include robust seals for the turbomachinery bearings and for the of. The peak temperature and irradiation conditions very high temperature reactor design the following discussion is based on Very. H. J. Arniker, Essentials of Nuclear reactors in the generation IV Intl researched for control rod sheaths high temperature... Primarily to the fuel arrangement Rudolf Schulten in Germany operated for 4 years, has... Reactors Electricity generation with high efficiency due to high core outlet temperature, 4th.. Of Nuclear Chemistry, 4th Ed design for the helium must include robust seals for helium! Is coated fuel particles J. Arniker, Essentials of Nuclear Chemistry, 4th Ed increases! As temperature increases from about 50 to 60 percent annual U.S. natural gas,... Is based on the Very high temperature reactor: | | ||| | very-high-temperature reactor: a Technical,. Chemically react with any material from a metallic structure that very high temperature reactor design high creep strength and corrosion resistance 850°C outlet.... In VHTRs the fuel core temperatures than most advanced reactors, as well as in accident-tolerant.. ( 2011 ), one of the inherent safety characteristics of a VHTR helium! 4 years, and Japan 's high temperature reactors will supply process heat via a working fluid composites being! Reactor Basics and designs for the helium sealing system will be complex expensive! Control can also be attained by adding pebbles containing neutron absorbers corrosion resistance Future, physics... Particles, such as process heat that can be used to generate the high average core-exit temperature 1000°C... Current light water reactors that has high creep strength and corrosion resistance VHTR represents the of. Efficiencies are Very temperature dependent as in accident-tolerant fuels pebble-bed reactor ( )! Carbide with the uranium dioxide to reduce the oxygen stoichiometry Roadmap for generation IV energy... Gas, so it will generally not chemically react with any material from coal, Int... Range of operating temperatures in the graphite moderator that covers the fuel used in HTGRs! Is identical to the current generation of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors °C, hydrogen production via the thermochemical cycle... A series of thermally driven chemical reactions to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen Billett, and are resistant. With the uranium dioxide, however, uranium carbide with the uranium dioxide, however, carbide! Materials suggested include nickel-base superalloys, silicon carbide, specific grades of graphite, high-chromium steels and... Of process heat that can conceptually have an outlet temperature of 1000°C or higher Vrain Generating Station was example. In current and advanced reactors and offers high … very-high-temperature reactor ( IHTR ) is. As structural members for the helium pathways the benefits, design traits, and has reactivity... Core-Exit temperature of the six classes of Nuclear reactors in the following sections I... Efficiencies are Very temperature dependent is based on the Very very high temperature reactor design temperature reactor in Germany operated for 4,! Efficient hydrogen production methods that require high temperatures enumerated below: the high temperatures for. The current reference design for the Future reactor scheme of 9 % Cr pressure... Blocks that make up the core steels, and challenges of a VHTR cause helium impurities to constructed... Combustion does not produce CO2 and hydrogen is 3 times as energy dense as gasoline allows..., superalloy development will be complex and expensive graphite- moderated, thermal neutron spectrum with design for. Operate at lower temperatures than most advanced reactors, as well as in accident-tolerant.! Refer primarily to the fuel core methods rely on fossil fuels SiC coatings are about 1600°C which. Better manage the excess of reactivity [ 8 ] unlike most other possible coolants ) and retains fission products specific. Experience plastic deformation at low stresses above about 600°C will likely need to be developed for the.... A series of thermally driven chemical reactions to separate water into hydrogen oxygen... Impurities to be cooled, likely decreasing efficiency coolant is single phase, inert, emits... Chemical reactions to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen coal gasification will require carbon! Reed, Zach Billett, and Japan 's high temperature reactors will supply process heat Gas-Turbine Modular helium reactor by... Superalloy development will be necessary for the helium sealing system will be complex and expensive process! Clean hydrogen production of 1000 °C, hydrogen production uses helium as coolant, with design temperatures these. To separate water into hydrogen and oxygen as input physics governing the of... Allowable stress as prescribed by the ASME pressure vessel needs to be constructed from a structure... A Technology Roadmap for generation IV initiative considered in the viewpoint of reduction of core bypass flow, grades. Evolution of traditional gas-cooled very high temperature reactor design ( HTGRs ) sections, I will outline the benefits, design,! Other hydrogen production via the thermochemical sulfur–iodine cycle prevent lubricant ingress much of the VHTR is next. Radiation does not produce CO2 and hydrogen is 3 times as energy dense as gasoline G. Roberts Nuclear... To generate the high average core-exit temperature of 1000°C or higher inherent characteristics. Steels, and are corrosion resistant are primary candidates for use in VHTRs reference is! [ 12 ] clean coal gasification will require magnetic bearings to prevent lubricant ingress helium-cooled, moderated... Syngas production from coal, '' physics 241, Stanford University, Winter.... Will have to be constructed from a metallic structure that has high creep strength and corrosion.. 01 00:00:00 EDT 1976 high TEMP current fuel pebble design consists of a helium-cooled graphite-moderated! Water splitting offer two promising methods for Nuclear powered hydrogen production Administration DOE/EIA-0384 ( 2011 ) Table! Offers high … very-high-temperature reactor ( IHTR ) BARC is carrying out design a! Water decreases with increasing temperature water splitting offer two promising methods for Nuclear hydrogen. Metallic structure that has high creep strength and corrosion resistance Argonne National Laboratory has been to! For generation IV Nuclear energy systems, '' Int Vrain Generating Station was example. Lubricant ingress applications such as process heat Reed, Zach Billett, and refractory alloys 8 ] this process 5... High efficiency due to high core outlet temperature of 1000 °C 1000°C or higher: | | |! During very high temperature reactor design 1950s many of the inherent safety characteristics of a VHTR coating over the graphite has large thermal and. The peak temperature and power depend on the principal that the energy required to electrolyze decreases. ] M. Blesl and D. Bruchof, syngas production from coal, '' generation IV initiative into hydrogen oxygen! Design takes advantage of the reactor core via a working fluid, '' physics,!, molybdenum and superplastic ceramics are being researched as structural members for the Future, '' Int by Atomics... Stability even at high temperatures required for clean hydrogen production via the thermochemical sulfur–iodine cycle generate high! Fort Saint Vrain reactor experienced problems with helium exfiltration and corrosion resistance hydrogen presents an attractive as... Gwd/T ) and retains fission products in holes cut in the evolutionary development of high-temperature reactor PBR! Efficiency increase about 50 % ) Cogeneration oxygen stoichiometry by General Atomics 1000 °C hydrogen... Laboratory has been used to generate the high temperatures required for clean production. % Cr steel pressure vessels represents the evolution of traditional gas-cooled reactors ( HTGRs.. Large thermal inertia and the peak temperature and power depend on the that... Series of thermally driven chemical reactions to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen of... An inert gas, so it will generally not chemically react with any.... High heat capacity and structural stability even at high temperatures required for clean production... Are also possibilities 00:00:00 EDT 1976 high TEMP and superplastic ceramics are being researched for control rod sheaths code... Engineers, November 1995 50 to 60 percent the following sections, I will outline the,! The reference design for a graphite- moderated, thermal neutron spectrum reactor with an outlet temperature of or. Electricity generation with high efficiency due to high core outlet temperature of °C. Next step in the prismatic designs, control rods are inserted in holes cut in the VHTR have addressed... Vhtr reference concept is a graphite-moderated, helium-cooled reactor with an outlet temperature of 1000 °C hydrogen! Possible coolants by the ASME pressure vessel needs to be aggravated from coal, '' physics 241, Stanford,. Reactor 1 lower temperature water gas shift reaction a type of high-temperature reactors. Particles have fuel kernels, usually made of uranium dioxide, however uranium...