The high-temperature test reactor (HTTR) is a graphite-
moderated gas-cooled
research reactor
Research reactors are nuclear fission-based nuclear reactors that serve primarily as a neutron source. They are also called non-power reactors, in contrast to power reactors that are used for electricity production, heat generation, or marit ...
in
Ōarai, Ibaraki
is a town located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 15,867 in 6,881 households and a population density of . The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 34.0%. The total area of the town is . The Jap ...
, Japan operated by the
Japan Atomic Energy Agency
The is an Independent Administrative Institution formed on October 1, 2005 by a merger of two previous semi-governmental organizations. While it inherited the activities of both JNC and JAERI, it also inherited the nickname of JAERI, "Genken" ...
. It uses long hexagonal fuel assemblies, unlike the competing
pebble bed reactor designs.
HTTR first reached its full design power of 30 MW (thermal) in 1999. Other tests have shown that the core can reach temperatures sufficient for
hydrogen production
Hydrogen production is the family of industrial methods for generating hydrogen gas. As of 2020, the majority of hydrogen (∼95%) is produced from fossil fuels by steam reforming of natural gas and other light hydrocarbons, partial oxidation of ...
via the
sulfur-iodine cycle.
Technical details
The primary coolant is helium gas at a pressure of about 4 MPa, the inlet temperature of , and the outlet temperature of . The fuel is uranium oxide (enriched to an average of about 6%).
See also
*
Very-high-temperature reactor
*
Hydrogen economy
The hydrogen economy is using hydrogen to decarbonize economic sectors which are hard to electrify, essentially, the "hard-to-abate" sectors such as cement, steel, long-haul transport etc. In order to phase out fossil fuels and limit climate ch ...
External links
HTTRat the
JAEA
The is an Independent Administrative Institution formed on October 1, 2005 by a merger of two previous semi-governmental organizations. While it inherited the activities of both JNC and JAERI, it also inherited the nickname of JAERI, "Genken" ...
website.
Graphite moderated reactors
Nuclear technology in Japan
Ōarai, Ibaraki
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