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Components of the Helium Cycle

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Modular High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Power Plant

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Abstract

The primary helium cycle of a steam-generating HTR mainly contains the hot gas duct, the steam generator, the helium circulator, and the cold gas duct together with the nuclear reactor as heat source. Additionally, a gas purification plant and helium auxiliary systems have to be considered as further helium systems. Different helium cycles have been operated with success over many years. The helium technology with all important aspects, like heat transfer, pressure losses, tightness of systems, friction, wear, and corrosion by impurities, is known today, and adequate solutions are available. In this chapter, the main components are discussed in some detail. The hot gas duct can be realized as coaxial system with low-temperature losses and small pressure drops; the insulations and liner system for longtime operation are available. Suited high-temperature alloys for ducting the hot gas and for the tubes of the steam generator allow a design for the whole planned lifetime of the components. Aspects of thermo-hydraulic design and of the mechanical analysis of steam generators show that especially helical-type heat exchangers can be designed for the production of hot steam with high safety factors. Special aspects of design and operation and existing experiences with these components are described in this chapter too and show that solutions for all questions are developed. The circulators, which are necessary to compensate the pressure losses in the helium cycle, can be realized following different principles of design. For modular HTR, one-stage compressors of the radial type with electrical drive have a broad basis of experience and promise advantages to realize sufficient large units. One important aspect of helium cycles is to establish a suited helium atmosphere during operation. The content of impurities has to be limited to protect the graphitic structures of the fuel elements and the core internals against too high corrosion. For this purpose, helium circuits are connected to a gas purification plant, which reduces the content of impurities and of dust. In older designs, a removal of radioactive substance was foreseen too; however, this is not necessary today, if the very dense TRISO-coated particles are applied. Different auxiliary helium systems, like supply system for sealing gas for circulators, helium supply for the fuel handling systems, or a helium storage, are necessary for the operation of an HTR plant. Helium circuits for decay heat removal in some plants and designs were a further system of interest. The conditions of design are similar to those of the steam generator/helium circulator loop. The helium cycle needs different measurement installations for temperature, pressure and mass flow and the gas quality. Especially, the measurement of the water content in the helium has to be carried out carefully, because this measurement is safety relevant to detect water ingress accidents early.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Reactor Safety and Reactor, RWTH Aachen University, Jülich, Germany

    Kurt Kugeler

  2. Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Tech, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Zuoyi Zhang

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  1. Kurt Kugeler
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Kugeler, K., Zhang, Z. (2019). Components of the Helium Cycle. In: Modular High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactor Power Plant. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-57712-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-57712-7_6

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