Development of the compact heat exchanger for the HTGR, (I) fabrication ofthe ultra fine off-set fin

High performance recuperator for 600 MWt HTGR Gas Turbine system (HTGR-GT) has been being developed in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), which was designed of 95% thermal effectiveness and 15 MW/m(3) heat exchan ger thermal density with high pressure tightness under 6MPa and large struc tural frame (similar to5 m height). To establish fabrication techniques of the full scale recuperator, the plate fin type scale models of the core (wi dth X height X length (mm); 200 X 200 X 200) with very small off-set fin (t hickness X height X pitch (mm) 0.15 X 1.2 X 1.4) were fabricated and tested in gas leakage and pressure tightness. As the results, the high fabrication techniques of the scale was demonstrat ed, and the effect of thermal exchange type and defects in the recuperator on the full scale recuperator performance were discussed on the basis of th ese fabrication experiences.