Study on a method for loading a Li compound to produce tritium using high-temperature gas-cooled reactor

Abstract

Tritium production using high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and its outflow from the region loading Li compound into the helium coolant are estimated when considering the suppression of tritium outflow. A Li rod containing a cylindrical Li compound placed in an Al2O3 cladding tube is assumed as a method for loading Li compound. A gas turbine high-temperature reactor of 300MW electrical nominal capacity (GTHTR300) with 600MW thermal output power is considered and modeled using the continuous-energy Monte Carlo transport code MVP-BURN, where burn-up simulations are carried out. Tritium outflow is estimated from equilibrium solution for the tritium diffusion equation in the cladding tube. A GTHTR300 can produce 400–600g of tritium over a 180-day operation using the chosen method of loading the Li compound while minimizing tritium outflow from the cladding tube. Optimizing tritium production while suppressing tritium outflow is discussed.