Achievement of Reactor-Outlet Coolant Temperature of 950°C in HTTR

A High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) is particularly attractive due to its capability of producing high-temperature helium gas and to its inherent safety characteristics. The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), which is the first HTGR in Japan, achieved its rated thermal power of 30 MW and reactor-outlet coolant temperature of 950°C on 19 April 2004. During the high-temperature test operation which is the final phase of the rise-to-power tests, reactor characteristics and reactor performance were confirmed, and reactor operations were monitored to demonstrate the safety and stability of operation. The reactor-outlet coolant temperature of 950°C makes it possible to extend high-temperature gas-cooled reactor use beyond the field of electric power. Also, highly effective power generation with a high-temperature gas turbine becomes possible, as does hydrogen production from water. The achievement of 950°C will be a major contribution to the actualization of producing hydrogen from water...