Development Scenario of the Iodine-Sulphur Hydrogen Production Process to be Coupled with VHTR System as a Conventional Chemical Plant

Abstract

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) started design studies of the thermochemical water-splitting iodine-sulphur (IS) process to be coupled with the HTTR to demonstrate hydrogen production from a very high-temperature reactor (VHTR) system. It is important from an economic point of view that a non-nuclear-grade, rather than nuclear-grade, IS process plant be built based on conventional chemical plant construction standards. In order to construct the IS process as a conventional chemical plant, some critical safety issues must been studied and clarified prior to the application for safety case review from the government. JAEA has launched R&D for a non-nuclear-grade IS process to be coupled with the HTTR, which is the Japan's first VHTR capable of supplying 900°C secondary helium for process heat application. In this paper, we describe the development scenario for a non-nuclear grade hydrogen production system. Utilizing the HTTR-IS system as a reference system, the R&D map is proposed for the VHTR-IS hydrogen production system.