Benchmark models were developed to evaluate six cold-critical and two warm-critical, zero-power measurements of the HTTR. Additional measurements of a fully-loaded subcritical configuration, core excess reactivity, shutdown margins, six isothermal temperature coefficients, and axial reaction-rate distributions were also evaluated as acceptable benchmark experiments. Insufficient information is publicly available to develop finely-detailed models of the HTTR as much of the design information is still proprietary. However, the uncertainties in the benchmark models are judged to be of sufficient magnitude to encompass any biases and bias uncertainties incurred through the simplification process used to develop the benchmark models. Dominant uncertainties in the experimental keff for all core configurations come from uncertainties in the impurity content of the various graphite blocks that comprise the HTTR. Monte Carlo calculations of keff are between approximately 0.9 % and 2.7 % greater than the benchmark values. Reevaluation of the HTTR models as additional information becomes available could improve the quality of this benchmark and possibly reduce the computational biases. High-quality characterization of graphite impurities would significantly improve the quality of the HTTR benchmark assessment. Simulation of the other reactor physics measurements are in good agreement with the benchmark experiment values. The complete benchmark evaluation details are available in the 2014 edition of the International Handbook of Evaluated Reactor Physics Benchmark Experiments.

The benchmark evaluation of the start-up core reactor physics measurements performed with Japan's High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor, in support of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Project and Very High Temperature Reactor Program activities at the Idaho National Laboratory, has been completed. The evaluation was performed using MCNP5 with ENDF/B-VII.0 nuclear data libraries and according to guidelines provided for inclusion in the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project Handbook. Results provided include updated evaluation of the initial six critical core configurations (five annular and one fully-loaded). The calculated keff eigenvalues agree within 1s of the benchmark values. Reactor physics measurements that were evaluated include reactivity effects measurements such as excess reactivity during the core loading process and shutdown margins for the fully-loaded core, four isothermal temperature reactivity coefficient measurements for the fully-loaded core, and axial reaction rate measurements in the instrumentation columns of three core configurations. The calculated values agree well with the benchmark experiment measurements. Fully subcritical and warm critical configurations of the fully-loaded core were also assessed. The calculated keff eigenvalues for these two configurations also agree within 1s of the benchmark values. The reactor physics measurement data can be used in the validation and design development of future High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor systems.

The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is a 30 MWth, graphite-moderated, helium-cooled reactor that was constructed with the objectives to establish and upgrade the technological basis for advanced high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) as well as to conduct various irradiation tests for innovative high-temperature research. The core size of the HTTR represents about one-half of that of future HTGRs, and the high excess reactivity of the HTTR, necessary for compensation of temperature, xenon, and burnup effects during power operations, is similar to that of future HTGRs. During the start-up core physics tests of the HTTR, various annular cores were formed to provide experimental data for verification of design codes for future HTGRs. The Japanese government approved construction of the HTTR in the 1989 fiscal year budget; construction began at the Oarai Research and Development Center in March 1991 and was completed May 1996. Fuel loading began July 1, 1998, from the core periphery. The first criticality was attained with an annular core on November 10, 1998 at 14:18, followed by a series of start-up core physics tests until a fully-loaded core was developed on December 16, 1998. Criticality tests were carried out into January 1999. The first full power operation with an average core outlet temperature of 850ðC was completed on December 7, 2001, and operational licensing of the HTTR was approved on March 6, 2002. The HTTR attained high temperature operation at 950 ðC in April 19, 2004. After a series of safety demonstration tests, it will be used as the heat source in a hydrogen production system by 2015. Hot zero-power critical, rise-to-power, irradiation, and safety demonstration testing, have also been performed with the HTTR, representing additional means for computational validation efforts. Power tests were performed in steps from 0 to 30 MW, with various tests performed at each step to confirm core characteristics, thermal-hydraulic properties, and radiation shielding. The high-temperature test operation at 950 ðC represented the fifth and final phase of the rise-to-power tests. The safety tests demonstrated inherent safety features of the HTTR such as slow temperature response during abnormal events due to the large heat capacity of the core and the negative reactivity feedback. The experimental benchmark performed and currently evaluated in this report pertains to the data available for the annular core criticals from the initial six isothermal, annular and fully-loaded, core critical measurements performed at the HTTR. Evaluation of the start-up core physics tests specific to the fully-loaded core is compiled elsewhere (HTTR-GCR-RESR-001).