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Tritium monitoring - Canadian experience and instrumentation
Tdfium~chnologyin fission, ~sion and isotopic applications
576 9.
MODELLING AND EXPERIMENTS ON TRITIUM PERMEATION IN FUSION REACTOR BLANKETS, D. F. Holland and G. R. Longhurst (EG&G Idaho Inc.)
Issues
are
discussed
that
are
critical
in
helium-cooled fusion breeding blankets.
determining
tritium
These issues are:
loss
from
(a) applicability
of present models to permeation at low tritium pressures, (b) effectiveness of oxide layers in reducing permeation, (c) effectiveness of hydrogen addition as a means to lower tritium permeation, and
(d) effectiveness of conversion to
tritlated water and subsequent trapping as a means paper discusses theoretical models applicable results
of
experiments
in
two
areas:
to
reduce permeation.
to these issues,
permeation
The
and presents
of mixtures
of hydrogen
isotopes and conversion to tritiated water.
SESSION II:
i.
MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT
A NEW TRITIUM MONITOR FOR THE TOKAMAK FUSION TEST REACTOR, R. A. Jalbert (Los Alamos National Laboratory)
In DT-fueled fusion reactors, there will be a need for tritium monitors that can simultaneously measure in real time the concentrations of HTO, HT and the activated air produced by fusion neutrons.
Such a monitor has been developed,
tested, and delivered to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory for use at the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
(TFTR).
It uses semipermeable membranes to
achieve the removal of HTO from the sampled air for monitoring and a catalyst to convert the HT to HTO, also for removal and monitoring.
The remaining air,
devoid of tritium, is routed to a third detector for monitoring the activated air.
The
sensitivities
instruments ~Ci/m 3.
employing
are
those
conventional
that
would
be
flow-through
expected
ionization
from
tritium
chambers:
i-3
Its discriminating ability is approximately 10 -3 for any of the three
components (}{TO, HT and activated air) in any of the other two channels.
For
instance,
its
the
concentration
of
HT
in
the
original concentration in the sampled air.
2.
HTO
channel
is
10 -3
times
This will meet the needs of TFTR.
TRITIUM MONITORING - CANADIAN EXPERIENCE AND INSTRUMENTATION, K. Y. Wong (Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project) and R. G. C. McElroy (Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories)
The control and monitoring of tritium are important aspects of the Canadian heavy
water-based
nuclear
power
program.
The
development
of
tritium
monitoring in Canada is discussed with particular attention paid to experience gained at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories nuclear
generating
development
program
instrumentation
stat~on. is
to meet
under the
Presently, way
to
a
provide
identified
handling facilities, and fusion reactors.
and at Ontario Hydro
coordinated
needs
improved of
fission
C~NDU
tritium
monitoring
tritium
monitoring
reactors,
tritium
This program is outlined, and some
particular requirements of fusion reactors are discussed in detail.
576 9.
MODELLING AND EXPERIMENTS ON TRITIUM PERMEATION IN FUSION REACTOR BLANKETS, D. F. Holland and G. R. Longhurst (EG&G Idaho Inc.)
Issues
are
discussed
that
are
critical
in
helium-cooled fusion breeding blankets.
determining
tritium
These issues are:
loss
from
(a) applicability
of present models to permeation at low tritium pressures, (b) effectiveness of oxide layers in reducing permeation, (c) effectiveness of hydrogen addition as a means to lower tritium permeation, and
(d) effectiveness of conversion to
tritlated water and subsequent trapping as a means paper discusses theoretical models applicable results
of
experiments
in
two
areas:
to
reduce permeation.
to these issues,
permeation
The
and presents
of mixtures
of hydrogen
isotopes and conversion to tritiated water.
SESSION II:
i.
MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT
A NEW TRITIUM MONITOR FOR THE TOKAMAK FUSION TEST REACTOR, R. A. Jalbert (Los Alamos National Laboratory)
In DT-fueled fusion reactors, there will be a need for tritium monitors that can simultaneously measure in real time the concentrations of HTO, HT and the activated air produced by fusion neutrons.
Such a monitor has been developed,
tested, and delivered to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory for use at the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
(TFTR).
It uses semipermeable membranes to
achieve the removal of HTO from the sampled air for monitoring and a catalyst to convert the HT to HTO, also for removal and monitoring.
The remaining air,
devoid of tritium, is routed to a third detector for monitoring the activated air.
The
sensitivities
instruments ~Ci/m 3.
employing
are
those
conventional
that
would
be
flow-through
expected
ionization
from
tritium
chambers:
i-3
Its discriminating ability is approximately 10 -3 for any of the three
components (}{TO, HT and activated air) in any of the other two channels.
For
instance,
its
the
concentration
of
HT
in
the
original concentration in the sampled air.
2.
HTO
channel
is
10 -3
times
This will meet the needs of TFTR.
TRITIUM MONITORING - CANADIAN EXPERIENCE AND INSTRUMENTATION, K. Y. Wong (Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project) and R. G. C. McElroy (Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories)
The control and monitoring of tritium are important aspects of the Canadian heavy
water-based
nuclear
power
program.
The
development
of
tritium
monitoring in Canada is discussed with particular attention paid to experience gained at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories nuclear
generating
development
program
instrumentation
stat~on. is
to meet
under the
Presently, way
to
a
provide
identified
handling facilities, and fusion reactors.
and at Ontario Hydro
coordinated
needs
improved of
fission
C~NDU
tritium
monitoring
tritium
monitoring
reactors,
tritium
This program is outlined, and some
particular requirements of fusion reactors are discussed in detail.