Principle design and data of graphite components

The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) constructed by Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) is a graphite-moderated and helium-gas-cooled reactor with prismatic fuel elements of hexagonal blocks. The reactor internal structures of the HTTR are mainly made up of graphite components. As well known, the graphite is a brittle material and there were no available design criteria for brittle materials. Therefore, JAERI had to develop the design criteria taking account of the brittle fracture behavior. In this paper, concept and key specification of the developed graphite design criteria is described, and also an outline of the quality control specified in the design criteria is mentioned