Development of effective lithium loading method into high-temperature gas-cooled reactor for tritium poroduction

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25630421
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nuclear fusion studies
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUURA Hideaki 九州大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (50238961)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KATAYAMA Kazunari 九州大学, 総合理工学研究院, 准教授 (90380708)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): GOTO Minoru 日本原子力研究開発機構, 原子力水素・熱利用研究センター, 研究副主幹 (60414546) ; NAKAGAWA Shigeaki 日本原子力研究開発機構, 原子力水素・熱利用研究センター, 研究主幹 (40414544)
• Research Collaborator: NAKAYA Hiroyuki ; KUBO Kotaro ; KAWAMOTO Yasuko ; KORA Kazuki ; NAGASUMI Satoru ; USHIDA Hiroki
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 高温ガス炉 / トリチウム / リチウム装荷法 / 核融合炉 / 被覆粒子 / トリチウム透過係数 / リチウム装荷用ロッド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

An optimal Li-loading method into high-temperature gas-cooled reactor for tritium production is studied. From the viewpoint of minimizing tritium outflow from the Li-loading region and increasing tritium production, a rod-type Li loading method was proposed. Hydrogen permeation experiments in commercial alumina tubes were conducted and hydrogen permeability was evaluated. Using the obtained data, Monte-Carlo neutron transport and tritium diffusion simulations were made for gas turbine high-temperature reactor of 300 MW electrical nominal capacity (GTHTR300) with 600 MW thermal output. It was shown that almost 500 g of tritium could be produced using the above loading method over a 180-day operation. Under such conditions 4-5 g of tritium outflowed from the cladding tube into the coolant. According to the previous analysis data, the possibility that the outflowed tritium can be reduced 1/10 to 1/100 by adopting Zirconium was also shown.

Free Research Field

原子炉核融合理工学、中性子工学