Core design study of a very high temperature reactor

The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) uses helium as the coolant and graphite as the moderator, structural material, and fuel cladding. With an all-ceramic core, high operating temperatures and high thermal efficiencies are possible. With its high operating temperatures, the HTGR is an attractive source of high temperature gas for use with gas turbines or for process heat applications. Gas temperatures in the range of 850 to 1000/sup 0/C are desired for such applications. This report documents a detailed design study of an advanced very high-temperature reactor (VHTR) core using prismatic fuel elements and delivering hot helium at a temperature of 927/sup 0/C. The primary obtective of the study was to generate detailed design and performance information on the nuclear design, power distributions, thermal performance, fuel behavior, and fission product release of this advanced core.