Evaluation of the Start-Up Core Physics Tests at Japan's High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (Annular Core Loadings)

The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is a 30 MWth, graphite-moderated, helium-cooled reactor that was constructed with the objectives to establish and upgrade the technological basis for advanced high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) as well as to conduct various irradiation tests for innovative high-temperature research. The core size of the HTTR represents about one-half of that of future HTGRs, and the high excess reactivity of the HTTR, necessary for compensation of temperature, xenon, and burnup effects during power operations, is similar to that of future HTGRs. During the start-up core physics tests of the HTTR, various annular cores were formed to provide experimental data for verification of design codes for future HTGRs. The Japanese government approved construction of the HTTR in the 1989 fiscal year budget; construction began at the Oarai Research and Development Center in March 1991 and was completed May 1996. Fuel loading began July 1, 1998, from the core periphery. The first criticality was attained with an annular core on November 10, 1998 at 14:18, followed by a series of start-up core physics tests until a fully-loaded core was developed on December 16, 1998. Criticality tests were carried out into January 1999. The first full power operation with an average core outlet temperature of 850ºC was completed on December 7, 2001, and operational licensing of the HTTR was approved on March 6, 2002. The HTTR attained high temperature operation at 950 ºC in April 19, 2004. After a series of safety demonstration tests, it will be used as the heat source in a hydrogen production system by 2015. Hot zero-power critical, rise-to-power, irradiation, and safety demonstration testing , have also been performed with the HTTR, representing additional means for computational validation efforts. Power tests were performed in steps from 0 to 30 MW, with various tests performed at each step to confirm core characteristics, thermal-hydraulic properties, and radiation shielding. The high-temperature test operation at 950 ºC represented the fifth and final phase of the rise-to-power tests. The safety tests demonstrated inherent safety features of the HTTR such as slow temperature response during abnormal events due to the large heat capacity of the core and the negative reactivity feedback. The experimental benchmark performed and currently evaluated in this report pertains to the data available for the annular core criticals from the initial six isothermal, annular and fully-loaded, core critical measurements performed at the HTTR. Evaluation of the start-up core physics tests specific to the fully-loaded core is compiled elsewhere (HTTR-GCR-RESR-001)