WorldWideScience

Sample records for term modifications-tritium handling

  1. Safe handling of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The main objective of this publication is to provide practical guidance and recommendations on operational radiation protection aspects related to the safe handling of tritium in laboratories, industrial-scale nuclear facilities such as heavy-water reactors, tritium removal plants and fission fuel reprocessing plants, and facilities for manufacturing commercial tritium-containing devices and radiochemicals. The requirements of nuclear fusion reactors are not addressed specifically, since there is as yet no tritium handling experience with them. However, much of the material covered is expected to be relevant to them as well. Annex III briefly addresses problems in the comparatively small-scale use of tritium at universities, medical research centres and similar establishments. However, the main subject of this publication is the handling of larger quantities of tritium. Operational aspects include designing for tritium safety, safe handling practice, the selection of tritium-compatible materials and equipment, exposure assessment, monitoring, contamination control and the design and use of personal protective equipment. This publication does not address the technologies involved in tritium control and cleanup of effluents, tritium removal, or immobilization and disposal of tritium wastes, nor does it address the environmental behaviour of tritium. Refs, figs and tabs

  2. Development of tritium-handling technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohmura, Hiroshi; Hosaka, Akio; Okamoto, Takahumi

    1988-01-01

    The overview of developing activities for tritium-handling techniques in IHI are presented. To establish a fusion power plant, tritium handling is one of the key technologies. Recently in JAERI, conceptual design of FER (Fusion Experimental Reactor) has been carried out, and the FER system requires a processing system for a large amount of tritium. IHI concentrate on investigation of fuel gas purification, isotope separation and storage systems under contract with Toshiba Corporation. Design results of the systems and each components are reviewed. IHI has been developing fundamental handling techniques which are the ZrNi bed for hydrogen isotope storage and isotope separation by laser. The ZrNi bed with a tritium storage capacity of 1000 Ci has been constructed and recovery capability of the hydrogen isotope until 10 -4 Torr {0.013 Pa} was confirmed. In laser isotope separation, the optimum laser wave length has been determined. (author)

  3. Experience in handling concentrated tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtslander, W.J.

    1985-12-01

    The notes describe the experience in handling concentrated tritium in the hydrogen form accumulated in the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories Tritium Laboratory. The techniques of box operation, pumping systems, hydriding and dehydriding operations, and analysis of tritium are discussed. Information on the Chalk River Tritium Extraction Plant is included as a collection of reprints of papers presented at the Dayton Meeting on Tritium Technology, 1985 April 30 - May 2

  4. Tritium handling experience at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suppiah, S.; McCrimmon, K.; Lalonde, S.; Ryland, D.; Boniface, H.; Muirhead, C.; Castillo, I. [Atomic Energy of Canad Limited - AECL, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

    2015-03-15

    Canada has been a leader in tritium handling technologies as a result of the successful CANDU reactor technology used for power production. Over the last 50 to 60 years, capabilities have been established in tritium handling and tritium management in CANDU stations, tritium removal processes for heavy and light water, tritium measurement and monitoring, and understanding the effects of tritium on the environment. This paper outlines details of tritium-related work currently being carried out at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). It concerns the CECE (Combined Electrolysis and Catalytic Exchange) process for detritiation, tritium-compatible electrolysers, tritium permeation studies, and tritium powered batteries. It is worth noting that AECL offers a Tritium Safe-Handling Course to national and international participants, the course is a mixture of classroom sessions and hands-on practical exercises. The expertise and facilities available at AECL is ready to address technological needs of nuclear fusion and next-generation nuclear fission reactors related to tritium handling and related issues.

  5. DOE handbook: Tritium handling and safe storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1999-03-01

    The DOE Handbook was developed as an educational supplement and reference for operations and maintenance personnel. Most of the tritium publications are written from a radiological protection perspective. This handbook provides more extensive guidance and advice on the null range of tritium operations. This handbook can be used by personnel involved in the full range of tritium handling from receipt to ultimate disposal. Compliance issues are addressed at each stage of handling. This handbook can also be used as a reference for those individuals involved in real time determination of bounding doses resulting from inadvertent tritium releases. This handbook provides useful information for establishing processes and procedures for the receipt, storage, assay, handling, packaging, and shipping of tritium and tritiated wastes. It includes discussions and advice on compliance-based issues and adds insight to those areas that currently possess unclear DOE guidance.

  6. DOE handbook: Tritium handling and safe storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-03-01

    The DOE Handbook was developed as an educational supplement and reference for operations and maintenance personnel. Most of the tritium publications are written from a radiological protection perspective. This handbook provides more extensive guidance and advice on the null range of tritium operations. This handbook can be used by personnel involved in the full range of tritium handling from receipt to ultimate disposal. Compliance issues are addressed at each stage of handling. This handbook can also be used as a reference for those individuals involved in real time determination of bounding doses resulting from inadvertent tritium releases. This handbook provides useful information for establishing processes and procedures for the receipt, storage, assay, handling, packaging, and shipping of tritium and tritiated wastes. It includes discussions and advice on compliance-based issues and adds insight to those areas that currently possess unclear DOE guidance

  7. TFTR tritium handling concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garber, H.J.

    1976-01-01

    The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, to be located on the Princeton Forrestal Campus, is expected to operate with 1 to 2.5 MA tritium--deuterium plasmas, with the pulses involving injection of 50 to 150 Ci (5 to 16 mg) of tritium. Attainment of fusion conditions is based on generation of an approximately 1 keV tritium plasma by ohmic heating and conversion to a moderately hot tritium--deuterium ion plasma by injection of a ''preheating'' deuterium neutral beam (40 to 80 keV), followed by injection of a ''reacting'' beam of high energy neutral deuterium (120 to 150 keV). Additionally, compressions accompany the beam injections. Environmental, safety and cost considerations led to the decision to limit the amount of tritium gas on-site to that required for an experiment, maintaining all other tritium in ''solidified'' form. The form of the tritium supply is as uranium tritide, while the spent tritium and other hydrogen isotopes are getter-trapped by zirconium--aluminum alloy. The issues treated include: (1) design concepts for the tritium generator and its purification, dispensing, replenishment, containment, and containment--cleanup systems; (2) features of the spent plasma trapping system, particularly the regenerable absorption cartridges, their integration into the vacuum system, and the handling of non-getterables; (3) tritium permeation through the equipment and the anticipated releases to the environment; (4) overview of the tritium related ventilation systems; and (5) design bases for the facility's tritium clean-up systems

  8. Handling of tritium-bearing wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    The generation of nuclear power and reprocessing of nuclear fuel results in the production of tritium and the possible need to control the release of tritium-contaminated effluents. In assessing the need for controls, it is necessary to know the production rates of tritium at different nuclear facilities, the technologies available for separating tritium from different gaseous and liquid streams, and the methods that are satisfactory for storage and disposal of tritiated wastes. The intention in applying such control technologies and methods is to avoid undesirable effects on the environment, and to reduce the radiation burden on operational personnel and the general population. This technical report is a result of the IAEA Technical Committee Meeting on Handling of Tritium-bearing Effluents and Wastes, which was held in Vienna, 4 - 8 December 1978. It summarizes the main topics discussed at the meeting and appends the more detailed reports on particular aspects that were prepared for the meeting by individual participants

  9. Experiences with decontaminating tritium-handling apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maienschein, J.L.; Garcia, F.; Garza, R.G.; Kanna, R.L.; Mayhugh, S.R.; Taylor, D.T.

    1992-01-01

    Tritium-handling apparatus has been decontaminated as part of the downsizing of the LLNL Tritium Facility. Two stainless-steel glove boxes that had been used to process lithium deuteride-tritide (LiDT) slat were decontaminated using the Portable Cleanup System so that they could be flushed with room air through the facility ventilation system. In this paper the details on the decontamination operation are provided. A series of metal (palladium and vanadium) hydride storage beds have been drained of tritium and flushed with deuterium, in order to remove as much tritium as possible. The bed draining and flushing procedure is described, and a calculational method is presented which allows estimation of the tritium remaining in a bed after it has been drained and flushed. Data on specific bed draining and flushing are given

  10. Recent progress on developments of tritium safe handling techniques in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Kuniaki; Matsuyama, Masao

    1993-01-01

    Vast amounts of tritium will be used for thermonuclear fusion reactors. Without establishing safe handling techniques for large amounts of tritium, undoubtedly the fusion reactors will not be accepted. Japanese activity on tritium related research has considerably developed in the last 10 years. This review paper gives a brief summary of safe handling techniques developed by Japanese research groups. (author)

  11. Experiences with decontaminating tritium-handling apparatus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maienschein, J.L.; Garcia, F.; Garza, R.G.; Kanna, R.L.; Mayhugh, S.R.; Taylor, D.T.

    1991-07-01

    Tritium-handling apparatus has been decontaminated as part of the shutdown of the LLNL Tritium Facility. Two stainless-steel gloveboxes that had been used to process lithium deuteride-tritide (LiDT) salt were decontaminated using the Portable Cleanup System so that they could be flushed with room air through the facility ventilation system. Further surface decontamination was performed by scrubbing the interior with paper towels and ethyl alcohol or Swish trademark. The surface contamination, as shown by swipe surveys, was reduced from 4x10 4 --10 6 disintegrations per minute (dpm)/cm 2 to 2x10 2 --4x10 4 dpm/cm 2 . Details on the decontamination operation are provided. A series of metal (palladium and vanadium) hydride storage beds have been drained of tritium and flushed with deuterium in order to remove as much tritium as possible. The bed draining and flushing procedure is described, and a calculational method is presented which allows estimation of the tritium remaining in a bed after it has been drained and flushed. Data on specific bed draining and flushing are given

  12. Tritium handling facilities at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.; Damiano, F.A.; Nasise, J.E.

    1975-01-01

    A new tritium facility, recently activated at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, is described. The facility contains a large drybox, associated gas processing system, a facility for handling tritium gas at pressures to approximately 100 MPa, and an effluent treatment system which removes tritium from all effluents prior to their release to the atmosphere. The system and its various components are discussed in detail with special emphasis given to those aspects which significantly reduce personnel exposures and atmospheric releases. (auth)

  13. Design approach for safe tritium handling in ITER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohira, Shigeru

    2002-01-01

    Outlines for tritium handling and a fundamental approach for ensuring safety are presented. The amount of tritium stored and processed in the ITER facility will be much larger than that in the existing facilities for fusion research, though the processing methods and the conditions of processing (e.g., concentration, pressure, etc.) will be similar for those used in those facilities. Therefore, considerations to be taken for tritium handling, such as limitations of tritium permeation and leaks, provision of an appropriate ventilation/detritiation system for maintenance, measures to ensure mechanical integrity, etc., can be provided based on the knowledge obtained in the facilities. The Technical Advisory Committee of the Science and Technology Agency established a fundamental approach in 2000, and set out the basic safety principles and approaches as technical requirements of safety design and assessment, which were derived from the safety characteristics of the ITER plant. Sufficient prevention of accidents can be achieved by ensuring and maintaining the structural integrity of the enclosures containing radioactive materials against the loads anticipated during operation, and a low hazard potential of radioactive materials, sufficiently within prescribed limits, can be maintained by the vitiation and clean-up system even if large release is postulated. (author)

  14. Safe handling and monitoring of tritium in research on nuclear fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Yoshikazu; Naruse, Yuji

    1978-01-01

    An actual condition of technique of safety handling and monitoring of tritium in the laboratory which treated a great quantity of tritium in relation to nuclear fusion, was described. With respect to the technique of safety handling of tritium, an actual condition of the technique in the U.S.A. which had wide experience in treating a great quantity of 3 H was mainly introduced, and it was helpful to a safety measure and a reduction of tritium effluence. Glovebox, hood, and other component machinery and tools for treating 3 H were also introduced briefly. As a monitoring technique, monitoring of indoor air and air exhaust by ionization chamber-type monitor for continuous monitoring of a great quantity of gaseous tritium was mentioned. Next, monitoring of a room, the surfaces of equipments, and draining, internal exposure of the individual, and monitoring of the environment were introduced. (Kanao, N.)

  15. Scoping studies of tritium handling in a tokamak experimental power reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cherdack, R.; Watson, J.S.; Clinton, S.D.; Fisher, P.W.

    1975-01-01

    Tritium handling techniques in an experimental fusion power reactor (EPR) are evaluated to determine the requirements of the system and to compare different equipment and techniques for meeting those requirements. Tritium process equipment is needed to (1) evacuate and maintain a vacuum in the plasma vessel and the neutral beam injectors, (2) purify and recycle tritium and deuterium for the plasma fuel cycle, (3) recover tritium from experimental breeding modules, and (4) provide tritium containment and atmospheric cleanup. A development program is outlined to develop and demonstrate the required techniques and equipment and to permit confident design of an EPR for operation by the mid-1980s

  16. Tritium contamination of concrete walls and floors in tritium-handling laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawano, T.; Kuroyanagi, M.; Tabei, T.

    2006-01-01

    A tritium handling laboratory was constructed at the National Institute for Fusion Science about twenty years ago and it was recently closed down. We completed the necessary work that is legally required in Japan at the laboratory, when the use of radioisotopes is discontinued, involving measurements of radioactive contamination. We mainly used smear and direct-immersion methods for the measurements. In applying the smear method, we used a piece of filter paper to wipe up the tritium staining the surfaces. The filter paper containing the tritium was placed directly into a dedicated vial, a scintillation cocktail was then poured over it, and the tritium was measured with a liquid scintillation counter. With the direct-immersion method, a piece of concrete was placed directly into a vial containing a scintillation cocktail, and the tritium in the concrete was measured with a liquid scintillation counter. As well as these measurements, we investigated water-extraction and heating-cooling methods for measuring tritium contamination in concrete. With the former, a piece of concrete was placed into water in a tube to extract the tritium, the water containing the extracted tritium was then poured into a dedicated vial containing a scintillation cocktail, and the tritium contamination was measured. With the latter, a piece of concrete was placed into a furnace and heated to 800 degrees centigrade to vaporize the tritiated water into flowing dry air. The flowing air was then cooled to collect the vaporized tritiated water in a tube. The collected water was placed in a vial for scintillation counting. To evaluate the direct-immersion method, ratios were determined by dividing the contamination measured with the heating-cooling method by that measured with the direct-immersion method. The average ratio was about 2.5, meaning a conversion factor from contamination obtained with the direct-immersion method to that with the heating-cooling method. We also investigated the

  17. Gas-handling system for studies of tritium-containing materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carstens, D.H.W.

    1975-01-01

    A gas handling system for preparation and study of tritium containing compounds and materials is described. The system at any one time can handle amounts of DT gas up to about 3 moles and has provisions for purification, storage, and measurement of the gas. Experimental conditions covering the ranges 20 to 800 0 C and 0.1 Pa to 137 MPa (10 -2 torr to 20,000 psi) can be maintained. (auth)

  18. Preparations for deuterium tritium experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hawryluk, R.J.; Adler, H.; Alling, P.; Ancher, C.; Anderson, H.; Anderson, J.W.; Arunasalam, V.; Ascione, G.; Ashcroft, D.; Barnes, G.

    1994-04-01

    The final hardware modifications for tritium operation have been completed for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). These activities include preparation of the tritium gas handling system, installation of additional neutron shielding, conversion of the toroidal field coil cooling system from water to a Fluorinet trademark system, modification of the vacuum system to handle tritium, preparation and testing of the neutral beam system for tritium operation and a final deuterium-deuterium (D-D) run to simulate expected deuterium-tritium (D-T) operation. Testing of the tritium system with low concentration tritium has successfully begun. Simulation of trace and high power D-T experiments using D-D have been performed. The physics objectives of D-T operation are production of ∼ 10 megawatts (MW) of fusion power, evaluation of confinement and heating in deuterium-tritium plasmas, evaluation of α-particle heating of electrons, and collective effects driven by alpha particles and testing of diagnostics for confined α-particles. Experimental results and theoretical modeling in support of the D-T experiments are reviewed

  19. Preparations for deuterium--tritium experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor*

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hawryluk, R.J.; Adler, H.; Alling, P.; Ancher, C.; Anderson, H.; Anderson, J.L.; Anderson, J.W.; Arunasalam, V.; Ascione, G.; Aschroft, D.; Barnes, C.W.; Barnes, G.; Batchelor, D.B.; Bateman, G.; Batha, S.; Baylor, L.A.; Beer, M.; Bell, M.G.; Biglow, T.S.; Bitter, M.; Blanchard, W.; Bonoli, P.; Bretz, N.L.; Brunkhorst, C.; Budny, R.; Burgess, T.; Bush, H.; Bush, C.E.; Camp, R.; Caorlin, M.; Carnevale, H.; Chang, Z.; Chen, L.; Cheng, C.Z.; Chrzanowski, J.; Collazo, I.; Collins, J.; Coward, G.; Cowley, S.; Cropper, M.; Darrow, D.S.; Daugert, R.; DeLooper, J.; Duong, H.; Dudek, L.; Durst, R.; Efthimion, P.C.; Ernst, D.; Faunce, J.; Fonck, R.J.; Fredd, E.; Fredrickson, E.; Fromm, N.; Fu, G.Y.; Furth, H.P.; Garzotto, V.; Gentile, C.; Gettelfinger, G.; Gilbert, J.; Gioia, J.; Goldfinger, R.C.; Golian, T.; Gorelenkov, N.; Gouge, M.J.; Grek, B.; Grisham, L.R.; Hammett, G.; Hanson, G.R.; Heidbrink, W.; Hermann, H.W.; Hill, K.W.; Hirshman, S.; Hoffman, D.J.; Hosea, J.; Hulse, R.A.; Hsuan, H.; Jaeger, E.F.; Janos, A.; Jassby, D.L.; Jobes, F.C.; Johnson, D.W.; Johnson, L.C.; Kamperschroer, J.; Kesner, J.; Kugel, H.; Kwon, S.; Labik, G.; Lam, N.T.; LaMarche, P.H.; Laughlin, M.J.; Lawson, E.; LeBlanc, B.; Leonard, M.; Levine, J.; Levinton, F.M.; Loesser, D.; Long, D.; Machuzak, J.; Mansfield, D.E.; Marchlik, M.; Marmar, E.S.; Marsala, R.; Martin, A.; Martin, G.; Mastrocola, V.; Mazzucato, E.; McCarthy, M.P.; Majeski, R.; Mauel, M.; McCormack, B.; McCune, D.C.; McGuire, K.M.; Meade, D.M.; Medley, S.S.; Mikkelsen, D.R.; Milora, S.L.; Monticello, D.; Mueller, D.; Murakami, M.; Murphy, J.A.; Nagy, A.; Navratil, G.A.; Nazikian, R.; Newman, R.; Nishitani, T.; Norris, M.; O'Connor, T.; Oldaker, M.; Ongena, J.; Osakabe, M.; Owens, D.K.; Park, H.; Park, W.; Paul, S.F.; Pavlov, Y.I.; Pearson, G.; Perkins, F.; Perry, E.; Persing, R.; Petrov, M.; Phillips, C.K.; Pitcher, S.; Popovichev, S.; Qualls, A.L.; Raftopoulos, S.; Ramakrishnan, R.; Ramsey, A.; Rasmussen, D.A.; Redi, M.H.

    1994-01-01

    The final hardware modifications for tritium operation have been completed for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) [Fusion Technol. 21, 1324 (1992)]. These activities include preparation of the tritium gas handling system, installation of additional neutron shielding, conversion of the toroidal field coil cooling system from water to a Fluorinert TM system, modification of the vacuum system to handle tritium, preparation, and testing of the neutral beam system for tritium operation and a final deuterium--deuterium (D--D) run to simulate expected deuterium--tritium (D--T) operation. Testing of the tritium system with low concentration tritium has successfully begun. Simulation of trace and high power D--T experiments using D--D have been performed. The physics objectives of D--T operation are production of ∼10 MW of fusion power, evaluation of confinement, and heating in deuterium--tritium plasmas, evaluation of α-particle heating of electrons, and collective effects driven by alpha particles and testing of diagnostics for confined α particles. Experimental results and theoretical modeling in support of the D--T experiments are reviewed

  20. Overview of R and D activities on tritium processing and handling technology in JAEA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamanishi, Toshihiko, E-mail: yamanishi.toshihiko@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Nakamura, Hirofumi; Kawamura, Yoshinori; Iwai, Yasunori; Isobe, Kanetsugu; Oyaidsu, Makoto; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi; Hayashi, Takumi [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

    2012-08-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The tritium technologies have been studied at Tritium Process Laboratory of JAEA. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A monitoring method for the blanket system of a fusion reactor have been studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Basic studies on the tritium behavior in confinement system have been carried out. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Studies on the detritiation have been carried out as another significant activity. - Abstract: In JAEA, the tritium processing and handling technologies have been studied at TPL (Tritium Process Laboratory). The main R and D activities are: the tritium processing technology for the blanket recovery systems; the basic tritium behavior in confinement materials; and detritiation and decontamination. The R and D activities on tritium processing and handling technologies for a demonstration reactor (DEMO) are also planned to be carried out in the broader approach (BA) program by JAEA with Japanese universities. The ceramic proton conductor has been studied as a possible tritium processing method for the blanket system. The BIXS method has also been studied as a monitoring of tritium in the blanket system. The hydrogen transfer behavior from water to metal has been studied as a function of temperature. As for the behavior of high concentration tritium water, it was observed that the formation of the oxidized layer was prevented by the presence of tritium in water (0.23 GBq/cc). A new hydrophobic catalyst has been developed for the conversion of tritium to water. The catalyst could convert tritium to water at room temperature. A new Nafion membrane has also been developed by gamma ray irradiation to get the strong durability for tritium.

  1. Problems in tritium handling in fusion reactors studies at CEA within the european effort

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roth, E.; Hircq, B.; Fidelle, J.P.

    1988-01-01

    Technological aspects of tritium handling linked with the operation of a fusion reactor are reviewed. Tritium storage is discussed from the point of view of the volumme of a single unit and of the nature of the metal bed. Purification of tritium and recovery from tritiated compounds is studied, including conversion from water to the gaseous form. Interaction of tritium and structural materials is developed from the point of view of corrosion, embrittlement, permeation. A flowsheet displaying a conception of a reference tritium circuit is proposed, and consideration is given to specifications of large components, namely pumps and gatevalves for tritium circuits

  2. Development, description and validation of a Tritium Environmental Release Model (TERM).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffers, Rebecca S; Parker, Geoffrey T

    2014-01-01

    Tritium is a radioisotope of hydrogen that exists naturally in the environment and may also be released through anthropogenic activities. It bonds readily with hydrogen and oxygen atoms to form tritiated water, which then cycles through the hydrosphere. This paper seeks to model the migration of tritiated species throughout the environment - including atmospheric, river and coastal systems - more comprehensively and more consistently across release scenarios than is currently in the literature. A review of the features and underlying conceptual models of some existing tritium release models was conducted, and an underlying aggregated conceptual process model defined, which is presented. The new model, dubbed 'Tritium Environmental Release Model' (TERM), was then tested against multiple validation sets from literature, including experimental data and reference tests for tritium models. TERM has been shown to be capable of providing reasonable results which are broadly comparable with atmospheric HTO release models from the literature, spanning both continuous and discrete release conditions. TERM also performed well when compared with atmospheric data. TERM is believed to be a useful tool for examining discrete and continuous atmospheric releases or combinations thereof. TERM also includes further capabilities (e.g. river and coastal release scenarios) that may be applicable to certain scenarios that atmospheric models alone may not handle well. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Tritium handling facility at KMS Fusion Inc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowman, C.C.; Vis, V.A.

    1990-01-01

    The tritium facility at KMS Fusion, Inc. supports the inertial confinement fusion research program. The main function of the facility is to fill glass and polymer Microshell (TM) capsules (small fuel containers) to a maximum pressure of 100 atm with tritium (T 2 ) or deuterium--tritium (DT). The recent upgrade of the facility allows us to fill Microshell capsules to a maximum pressure of 200 atm. A second fill port allows us to run long term fills of Macroshell (TM) capsules (large fuel containers) concurrently. The principle processes of the system are: (1) storage of the tritium as a uranium hydride; (2) pressure intensification using cryogenics; and (3) filling of the shells by permeation at elevated temperatures. The design of the facility was centered around a NRC license limit of 6000 Ci

  4. The tritium operations experience on TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halle, A. von; Anderson, J.L.; Gentile, C.; Grisham, L.; Hosea, J.; Kamperschroer, J.; LaMarche, P.; Oldaker, M.; Nagy, A.; Raftopoulos, S.; Stevenson, T.

    1995-01-01

    The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) tritium gas system is administratively limited to 5 grams of tritium and provides the feedstock gas for the neutral beam and torus injection systems. Tritium operations on TFTR began with leak checking of gas handling systems, qualification of the gas injection systems, and high power plasma operations using trace amounts of tritium in deuterium feedstock gas. Full tritium operation commenced with four highly diagnosed neutral beam pulses into a beamline calorimeter to verify planned tritium beam operating routines and to demonstrate the deuterium to tritium beam isotope exchange. Since that time, TFTR has successfully operated each of the twelve neutral beam ion sources in tritium during hundreds of tritium beam pulses and torus gas injections. This paper describes the TFTR tritium gas handling systems and TFTR tritium operations of the gas injection systems and the neutral beam ion sources. Tritium accounting and accountability is discussed, including tritium retention issues of the torus limiters and beam impinged surfaces of the beamline components. Also included is tritium beam velocity analysis that compares the neutral beam extracted ion species composition for deuterium and tritium and that determines the extent of beam isotope exchange on subsequent deuterium and tritium beam pulses. The required modifications to TFTR operating routines to meet the U.S. Department of Energy regulations for a low hazard nuclear facility and the problems encountered during initial tritium operations are described. (orig.)

  5. The tritium operations experience on TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    von Halle, A.; Gentile, C.

    1994-01-01

    The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) tritium gas system is administratively limited to 5 grains of tritium and provides the feedstock gas for the neutral beam and torus injection systems. Tritium operations on TFTR began with leak checking of gas handling systems, qualification of the gas injection systems, and high power plasma operations using using trace amounts of tritium in deuterium feedstock gas. Full tritium operation commenced with four highly diagnosed neutral beam pulses into a beamline calorimeter to verify planned tritium beam operating routines and to demonstrate the deuterium to tritium beam isotope exchange. Since that time, TFTR has successfully operated each of the twelve neutral beam ion sources in tritium during hundreds of tritium beam pulses and torus gas injections. This paper describes- the TFTR tritium gas handling systems and TFTR tritium operations of the gas injection systems and the neutral beam ion sources. Tritium accounting and accountability is discussed, including tritium retention issues of the torus limiters and beam impinged surfaces of the beamline components. Also included is tritium beam velocity analysis that compares the neutral beam extracted ion species composition for deuterium and tritium and that determines the extent of beam isotope exchange on subsequent deuterium and tritium beam pulses. The required modifications to TFTR operating routines to meet the US Department of Energy regulations for a low hazard nuclear facility and the problems encountered during initial tritium operations are described

  6. Some new techniques in tritium gas handling as applied to metal hydride synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nasise, J.E.

    1988-01-01

    A state-of-the-art tritium Hydriding Synthesis System (HSS) was designed and built to replace the existing system within the Tritium Salt Facility (TSF) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. This new hydriding system utilizes unique fast-cycling 7.9 mole uranium beds (47.5g of T at 100% loading) and novel gas circulating hydriding furnaces. Tritium system components discussed include fast-cycling uranium beds, circulating gas hydriding furnaces, valves, storage volumes, manifolds, gas transfer pumps, and graphic display and control consoles. Many of the tritium handling and processing techniques incorporated into this system are directly applicable to today's fusion fuel loops. 12 refs., 7 figs

  7. An electrical pulse hydride injector (EPHI) for reactor fueling and tritium handling applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azizov, E.A.; Kareev, Yu.A.; Savotkin, A.N.; Frunze, V.V.; Penzhorn, R.D.; Glugla, M.

    1995-01-01

    An electrical pulse hydride injector (EPHI) has been developed for reactor fuelling as well as for handling of hydrogen isotopes in facilities operating with tritium. Salient features of the EPHI are the accuracy with which the fuelling rate can be controlled and the avoidance of a pressurized ballast. The generator is simple and allows for safe operation with tritium. (orig.)

  8. Modification of a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) electrolyser to ensure tritium compatibility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eichelhardt, F.; Cristescu, I.; Michling, R.; Welte, S.

    2010-01-01

    A Water Detritiation System (WDS) is required for the ITER Tritium Plant in order to process tritiated water which is accumulated in various subsystems (e.g. the hall ventilation systems). For the ITER-WDS, the Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange (CECE) process with an electrolyser unit as one of the major components is envisaged. An experimental WDS was built and commissioned at the Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK) for the investigation of various subsystems of the CECE process in tritium environment. The TLK-WDS consists of an 8 m Liquid Phase Catalytic Exchange column and two Solid Polymer Electrolyte electrolysers, each with a maximum hydrogen output of 1 m 3 /h. The commercially available Hogen40 electrolyser units from Proton Energy Systems are not tritium compatible concerning materials, joints and quality documentation (e.g. necessary certificates). In order to process tritiated water with tritium concentrations up to 370 GBq/kg, tritium compatibility had to be ensured by appropriate modifications. Up to now, the modified system has been operated with tritiated water for 3500 h, the maximum tritium concentration in the electrolysers being 190 GBq/kg. This contribution reports on the necessary modifications of the electrolyser units and the experiences gained thereby. The results are equally important for the ITER-WDS, where the maximum tritium concentration in the feed water of the electrolyser units will be even higher with 11 TBq/kg.

  9. Structural acceptance criteria Remote Handling Building Tritium Extraction Facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mertz, G.

    1999-12-16

    This structural acceptance criteria contains the requirements for the structural analysis and design of the Remote Handling Building (RHB) in the Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF). The purpose of this acceptance criteria is to identify the specific criteria and methods that will ensure a structurally robust building that will safely perform its intended function and comply with the applicable Department of Energy (DOE) structural requirements.

  10. Structural acceptance criteria Remote Handling Building Tritium Extraction Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mertz, G.

    1999-01-01

    This structural acceptance criteria contains the requirements for the structural analysis and design of the Remote Handling Building (RHB) in the Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF). The purpose of this acceptance criteria is to identify the specific criteria and methods that will ensure a structurally robust building that will safely perform its intended function and comply with the applicable Department of Energy (DOE) structural requirements

  11. Handling of tritium at TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pierce, C.W.; Howe, H.J.; Yemin, L.; Lind, K.

    1977-01-01

    Some of the engineering approaches taken at TFTR for the tritium control systems are discussed as the requirements being placed on the tritium systems by the operating scenarios of the Tokamak. The tritium control systems presently being designed for TFTR will limit the annual release to the environment to less than 100 curies

  12. Radiation safety in radioluminous paint workshop handling tritium activated paint

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaur, P.K.; Venkateswaran, T.V.

    1986-01-01

    This paper discusses the safety features related to a workshop when tritium activated luminous paint is handled by workmen. Salient features of the workshop and the methods employed for monitoring the radiation levels are briefly outlined and results are discussed. The importance of proper ventilation of the workplace and precautions to be taken in the storage of painted articles are highlighted. (author). 1 table, 3 figs

  13. Torus evacuation and tritium handling on NET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dinner, P.; Chazalon, M.; Iseli, M.

    1986-08-01

    The use of tritium as a fuel affects the design of many systems, as well as requiring several new systems not needed on non DT-burning Tokamaks. This paper summarizes: major tritium process interconnections, tritium flows and inventories; primary requirements, preferred design alternatives, and related development issues; design philosophy for tritium and primary vacuum systems. 14 refs

  14. Confinement and Tritium Stripping Systems for APT Tritium Processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsu, R.H. [Westinghouse Savannah River Company, AIKEN, SC (United States); Heung, L.K.

    1997-10-20

    This report identifies functions and requirements for the tritium process confinement and clean-up system (PCCS) and provides supporting technical information for the selection and design of tritium confinement, clean-up (stripping) and recovery technologies for new tritium processing facilities in the Accelerator for the Production of Tritium (APT). The results of a survey of tritium confinement and clean-up systems for large-scale tritium handling facilities and recommendations for the APT are also presented.

  15. Confinement and Tritium Stripping Systems for APT Tritium Processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, R.H.; Heung, L.K.

    1997-01-01

    This report identifies functions and requirements for the tritium process confinement and clean-up system (PCCS) and provides supporting technical information for the selection and design of tritium confinement, clean-up (stripping) and recovery technologies for new tritium processing facilities in the Accelerator for the Production of Tritium (APT). The results of a survey of tritium confinement and clean-up systems for large-scale tritium handling facilities and recommendations for the APT are also presented

  16. Long-term investigation of biosphere contamination by tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trnovec, T.; Kollar, J.; Tatara, M.; Chorvat, D.

    1974-03-01

    An apparatus was designed and built for isotope enrichment by electrolysis of water samples (taken in several localities in the vicinity of the Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant) and a method was elaborated of measuring tritium using liquid scintillators, serving the determination of natural tritium concentrations. Operating experience showed that the degree of enrichment may easily be controlled and that the reproducibility of the enrichment coefficient value is conditional on the skill of personnel handling the apparatus. The apparatus constraints include a limited capacity of isotope enrichment (given by the number of electrolytic columns), demands on time, and sensitivity to secondary contamination. In addition to isotope enrichment of samples prior to measurement, also the feasibility of direct determination of natural tritium concentration without previous enrichment was tested. Tests were carried out of commercial products by Packard, INSTA-GEL and MONOPHASE-40. It was verified that the above method may be used in direct measuring tritium levels of several hundred TU. The preparation of a representative background sample was found to be the main problem involved in the type of determination described. The detection limit was mainly determined by the measurement statistics. (B.S.)

  17. Tritium transport and control in the FED

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, M.L.

    1981-01-01

    The tritium systems for the FED have three primary purposes. The first is to provide tritium and deuterium fuel for the reactor. This fuel can be new tritium or deuterium delivered to the plant site, or recycled DT from the reactor that must be processed before it can be recycled. The second purpose of the FED tritium systems is to provide state-of-the-art tritium handling to limit worker radiation exposure and to minimize tritium losses to the environment. The final major objective of the FED tritium systems is to provide an integrated system test of the tritium handling technology necessary to support the fusion reactor program. Every effort is being made to incorporate available information from the Tritium System Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) tritium systems, and the tritium handling information generated within DOE for the past 20 years

  18. Simulation of tritium behavior after intended tritium release in ventilated room

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwai, Yasunori; Hayashi, Takumi; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Nishi, Masataka

    2001-01-01

    At the Tritium Process Laboratory (TPL) at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), Caisson Assembly for Tritium Safety study (CATS) with 12 m 3 of large airtight vessel (Caisson) was fabricated for confirmation and enhancement of fusion reactor safety to estimate tritium behavior in the case where a tritium leak event should happen. One of the principal objectives of the present studies is the establishment of simulation method to predict the tritium behavior after the tritium leak event should happen in a ventilated room. The RNG model was found to be valid for eddy flow calculation in the 50 m 3 /h ventilated Caisson with acceptable engineering precision. The calculated initial and removal tritium concentration histories after intended tritium release were consistent with the experimental observations in the 50 m 3 /h ventilated Caisson. It is found that the flow near a wall plays an important role for the tritium transport in the ventilated room. On the other hand, tritium behavior intentionally released in the 3,000 m 3 of tritium handling room was investigated experimentally under a US-Japan collaboration. The tritium concentration history calculated with the same method was consistent with the experimental observations, which proves that the present developed method can be applied to the actual scale of tritium handling room. (author)

  19. Tritium sorption by cement and subsequent release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ono, F.; Yamawaki, M.

    1995-01-01

    In a fusion reactor or tritium-handling facilities, contamination of concrete by tritium and subsequent release from it to the reator or experimental room is a matter of problem for safe control of tritium and management of operational environment. In order to evaluate this tritium behavior, interaction of tritiated water with concrete or cement should be clarified. In the present study, HTO sorption and subsequent release from cement were experimentally studied.(1)Sorption experiments were conducted using columns packed with cement particles of different sizes. From the analysis of the breakthrough curve, tritium diffusivity in macropores and microparticles were evaluated.(2)From the short-term tritium release experiments, effective desorption rate constants were evaluated and the effects of temperature and moisture were studied.(3)In the long-term tritium release experiments to 6000h, the tritium release mechanism was found to be composed of three kinds of water: initially from capillary water, and in the second stage from gel water and from the water in the cement crystal.(4)Tritium release behavior by heat treatment to 800 C was studied. A high temperature above 600 C was required for the tritium trapped in the crystal water to be released. (orig.)

  20. Tritium activities in Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gierszewski, P.

    1995-01-01

    Canadian tritium activites comprise three major interests: utilites, light manufacturers, and fusion. There are 21 operating CANDU reactors in Canada; 19 with Ontario Hydro and one each with Hydro Quebec and New Brunswick Power. There are two light manufacturers, two primary tritium research facilities (at AECL Chalk River and Ontario Hydro Technologies), and a number of industry and universities involved in design, construction, and general support of the other tritium activities. The largest tritum program is in support of the CANDU reactors, which generate tritium in the heavy water as a by-product of normal operation. Currently, there are about 12 kg of tritium locked up in the heavy water coolant and moderator of these reactors. The fusion work is complementary to the light manufacturing, and is concerned with tritium handling for the ITER program. This included design, development and application of technologies related to Isotope Separation, tritium handling, (tritiated) gas separation, tritium-materials interaction, and plasma fueling

  1. Engineering studies of tritium recovery from CTR blankets and plasma exhaust

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, J.S.

    1975-01-01

    Engineering studies on tritium handling problems in fusion reactors have included conceptual and experimental studies of techniques for recovery of tritium bred in the reactor blanket and conceptual designs for recovery and processing of tritium from plasma exhausts. The process requirements and promising techniques for the blanket system depend upon the materials used for the blanket, coolant, and structure and on the operating temperatures. Process requirements are likely to be set in some systems by allowable loss rates to the steam system or by inventory considerations. Conceptual studies have also been made for tritium handling equipment for fueling, recovery, and processing in plasma recycle systems of fusion reactors, and a specific design has been prepared for ''near-term'' Tokamak experiments. (auth)

  2. ZEPHYR tritium system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swansiger, W.; Andelfinger, C.; Buchelt, E.; Fink, J.; Sandmann, W.; Stimmelmayr, A.; Wegmann, H.G.; Weichselgartner, H.

    1982-04-01

    The ignition experiment ZEPHYR will need tritium as an essential component of the fuel. The ZEPHYR Tritium Systems are designed as to recycle the fuel directly at the experiment. An amount of tritium, which is significantly below the total throughput, for example 10 5 Ci will be stored in uranium getters and introduced into the torus by a specially designed injection system. The torus vacuum system operates with tritium-tight turbomolecular pumps and multi-stage roots pumps in order to extract and store the spent fuel in intermediate storage tanks at atmospheric pressure. A second high vacuum system, similar in design, serves as to evacuate the huge containments of the neutral injection system. The spent fuel will be purified and subsequently processed by an isotope separation system in which the species D 2 , DT and T 2 will be recovered for further use. This isotope separation will be achieved by a preparative gaschromatographic process. All components of the tritium systems will be installed within gloveboxes which are located in a special tritium handling room. The atmospheres of the gloveboxes and of the tritium rooms are controlled by a tritium monitor system. In the case of a tritium release - during normal operation as well as during an accident - these atmospheres become processed by efficient tritium absorption systems. All ZEPHYR tritium handling systems are designed as to minimize the quantity of tritium released to the environment, so that the stringent German laws on radiological protection are satisfied. (orig.)

  3. Review of recent japanese activities on tritium accountability in fusion reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fukada, Satoshi, E-mail: sfukada@nucl.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Dept. Advanced Energy Engineering Science, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga, 816-8580 (Japan); Oya, Yasuhisa [College of Science, Academic Institute, Shizuoka University, 836 Otani, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8529 (Japan); Hatano, Yuji [Hydrogen Isotope Research Center, Organization for Promotion Research, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • Review of Japanese tritium-safety research is given from several viewpoints. • The keywords are tritium accountability and self sufficiency. • Tritium-relating history, tritium facilities and legal regulation are introduced. - Abstract: After introduction of Japanese history or recent topics on tritium (T)-relating research and T-handling capacity in facilities or universities, present activities on T engineering research in Japan are summarized in short in terms of T accountability on safety. The term of safety includes wide processes from T production, assay, storing, confinement, transfer through safety handling finally to shipment of its waste. In order to achieve reliable operation of fusion reactors, several unit processes included in the T cycle of fusion reactors are investigated. Especially, the following recent advances are focused: T retention in plasma facing materials, emergency detritiation system including fire case, T leak through metal tube walls, oxide coating and water detritiation. Strict control, storing and accurate measurement are especially demanded for T accountability depending on various molecular species. Since kg-order T of vaporable radioisotope (RI) will be handled in a fuel cycle or breeding system of a fusion reactor, the accuracy of <0.1% is demanded far over the conventional technology status. Necessity to control T balance within legal restrictions is always kept in mind for operation of the future reactor.

  4. Review of recent japanese activities on tritium accountability in fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukada, Satoshi; Oya, Yasuhisa; Hatano, Yuji

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Review of Japanese tritium-safety research is given from several viewpoints. • The keywords are tritium accountability and self sufficiency. • Tritium-relating history, tritium facilities and legal regulation are introduced. - Abstract: After introduction of Japanese history or recent topics on tritium (T)-relating research and T-handling capacity in facilities or universities, present activities on T engineering research in Japan are summarized in short in terms of T accountability on safety. The term of safety includes wide processes from T production, assay, storing, confinement, transfer through safety handling finally to shipment of its waste. In order to achieve reliable operation of fusion reactors, several unit processes included in the T cycle of fusion reactors are investigated. Especially, the following recent advances are focused: T retention in plasma facing materials, emergency detritiation system including fire case, T leak through metal tube walls, oxide coating and water detritiation. Strict control, storing and accurate measurement are especially demanded for T accountability depending on various molecular species. Since kg-order T of vaporable radioisotope (RI) will be handled in a fuel cycle or breeding system of a fusion reactor, the accuracy of <0.1% is demanded far over the conventional technology status. Necessity to control T balance within legal restrictions is always kept in mind for operation of the future reactor.

  5. Five years of tritium handling experience at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, R.V.

    1989-01-01

    The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos National Laboratory is a facility designed to develop and demonstrate, in full scale, technologies necessary for safe and efficient operation of tritium systems required for tokamak fusion reactors. TSTA currently consists of systems for evacuating reactor exhaust gas with compound cryopumps; for removing impurities from plasma exhaust gas and recovering the chemically-combined tritium; for separating the isotopes of hydrogen; for transfer pumping; or storage of hydrogen isotopes; for gas analysis; and for assuring safety by the necessary control, monitoring, and tritium removal from effluent streams. TSTA also has several small scale experiments to develop and test new equipment and processes necessary for fusion reactors. In this paper, data on component reliability, failure types and rates, and waste quantities are presented. TSTA has developed a Quality Assurance program for preparing and controlling the documentation of the procedures required for the design, purchase, and operation of the tritium systems. Operational experience under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions is presented. One unique aspect of operations at TSTA is that the design personnel for the TSTA systems are also part of the operating personnel. This has allowed for the relatively smooth transition from design to operations. TSTA has been operated initially as a research facility. As the system is better defined, operations are proceeding toward production modes. The DOE requirements for the operation of a tritium facility like TSTA include personnel training, emergency preparedness, radiation protection, safety analysis, and preoperational appraisals. The integration of these requirements into TSTA operations is discussed. 4 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

  6. Tritium practices past and present

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gede, V.P.; Gildea, P.D.

    1980-01-01

    History of the production and use of tritium, as well as handling techniques, are reviewed. Handling techniques first used at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made use of glass vacuum systems and relatively crude ion chambers for monitoring airborne activity. The first use of inert atmosphere glove boxes demonstrated that uptake through the skin could be a serious personnel exposure problem. Growing environmental concerns in the early 1970's resulted in the implementation by the Atomic Energy Commission of a new criteria to limit atmospheric tritium releases to levels as low as practicable. An important result of the new criteria was the development of containment and recovery systems to capture tritium rather than vent it to the atmosphere. The Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, Tritium Research Laboratory containment and decontamination systems are presented as a typical example of this technology. The application of computers to control systems is expected to provide the greatest potential for change in future tritium handling practices

  7. Japanese university program on tritium radiobiology and environmental tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okada, Shigefumi

    1989-01-01

    The university program of the tritium study in the Special Research Project of Nuclear Fusion (1980-1989) is now on its 9th year. The study's aim is to assess tritium risk on man and environment for development of Japanese Nuclear Fusion Program. The tritium study begun by establishing various tritium safe-handling devices and methods to protect scientists from tritium contamination. Then, the tritium studies were initiated in three areas: The first was the studies on biological effects of tritiated water, where their RBE values, their modifying factors and mechanisms were investigated. Also, several human monitoring systems for detection of tritium-induced damage were developed. The second was the metabolic studies of tritium, including a daily tritium monitoring system, methods to enhance excretion of tritiated water from body and means to prevent oxidation of tritium gas in the body. The third was the study of environmental tritium. Tritium levels in environmental waters of various types were estimated all-over in Japan and their seasonal or regional variation were analyzed. Last two years, the studies were extended to estimate tritium activities of plants, foods and man in Japan. (author)

  8. Accounting control of tritium at the tritium process laboratory (TPL) of JAERI. Results of 15-year operation and research activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishi, Masataka; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Hayashi, Takumi; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi

    2003-01-01

    Research and development work of fuel processing technology and tritium safe-handling technology necessary for fusion reactors has been performed at the Tritium Process Laboratory (TPL) of JAERI. TPL is the first facility in Japan permitted to handle tritium of more than 1g (about 0.36PBq), and its operation itself is also important for the development of fusion reactor facility in the viewpoint of tritium control. Various experiments have been carried out at TPL safely since 1988 controlling 22PBq of tritium as the maximum observing regulations. In addition to the regulatory accounting and control, detailed independent control in TPL was planned and was established through its 15-year safe-operation. For future fusion fuel facility where kilo-grams of tritium will be handled, method of tritium accounting has been researched and some new technologies have been developed at TPL. Results of TPL operation and of the research activity in it contributed the completion of the engineering design of ITER. Further research activity on tritium accounting and control is in progress in TPL for the future fusion reactors. (author)

  9. Tritium handling trade studies and design options for the GA/ANL TNS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mintz, J.M.; Clemmer, R.G.; Maroni, V.A.

    1978-01-01

    A comprehensive effort involving members of both the General Atomic Company (GA) and the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has been undertaken to define the objectives, criteria and potential systems design solutions that accrue to the tritium handling systems for the next logical step in tokamak reactor development (TNS). A primary focus of these activities has been a systematic analysis of fuel cycle parameters and trade studies on the sensitivity of these parameters to reactor design and operating conditions. Principal results of these analyses and an assembly of potentially useful design concepts for various subsystems of the fuel cycle are presented

  10. TFTR tritium operations lessons learned

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gentile, C.A.; Raftopoulos, S.; LaMarche, P.

    1996-01-01

    The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor which is the progenitor for full D-T operating tokamaks has successfully processed > 81 grams of tritium in a safe and efficient fashion. Many of the fundamental operational techniques associated with the safe movement of tritium through the TFTR facility were developed over the course of many years of DOE tritium facilities (LANL, LLNL, SRS, Mound). In the mid 1980's The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at LANL began reporting operational techniques for the safe handling of tritium, and became a major conduit for the transfer of safe tritium handling technology from DOE weapons laboratories to non-weapon facilities. TFTR has built on many of the TSTA operational techniques and has had the opportunity of performing and enhancing these techniques at America's first operational D-T fusion reactor. This paper will discuss negative pressure employing 'elephant trunks' in the control and mitigation of tritium contamination at the TFTR facility, and the interaction between contaminated line operations and Δ pressure control. In addition the strategy employed in managing the movement of tritium through TFTR while maintaining an active tritium inventory of < 50,000 Ci will be discussed. 5 refs

  11. Source term development for tritium at the Sheffield disposal site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacKenzie, D.R.; Barletta, R.E.; Smalley, J.F.; Kempf, C.R.; Davis, R.E.

    1984-01-01

    The Sheffield low-level radioactive waste disposal site, which ceased operation in 1978, has been the focus of modeling efforts by the NRC for the purpose of predicting long-term site behavior. To provide the NRC with the information required for its modeling effort, a study to define the source term for tritium in eight trenches at the Sheffield site has been undertaken. Tritium is of special interest since significant concentrations of the isotope have been found in groundwater samples taken at the site and at locations outside the site boundary. Previous estimates of tritium site inventory at Sheffield are in wide disagreement. In this study, the tritium inventory in the eight trenches was estimated by reviewing the radioactive shipping records (RSRs) for waste buried in these trenches. It has been found that the tritium shipped for burial at the site was probably higher than previously estimated. In the eight trenches surveyed, which amount to roughly one half the total volume and activity buried at Sheffield, approximately 2350 Ci of tritium from non-fuel cycle sources were identified. The review of RSRs also formed the basis for obtaining waste package descriptions and for contacting large waste generators to obtain more detailed information regarding these waste packages. As a result of this review and the selected generator contacts, the non-fuel cycle tritium waste was categorized. The tritium releases from each of these waste categories were modeled. The results of this modeling effort are presented for each of the eight trenches selected. 3 references, 2 figures

  12. Tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1975-01-01

    The role played the large amount supply of tritium and its effects are broadly reviewed. This report is divided into four parts. The introductory part includes the history of tritium research. The second part deals with the physicochemical properties of tritium and the compounds containing tritium such as tritium water and labeled compounds, and with the isotope effects and self radiation effects of tritium. The third part deals with the tritium production by artificial reaction. Attention is directed to the future productivity of tritium from B, Be, N, C, O, etc. by using the beams of high energy protons or neutrons. The problems of the accepting market and the accuracy of estimating manufacturing cost are discussed. The expansion of production may bring upon the reduction of cost but also a large possibility of social impact. The irradiation problem and handling problem in view of environmental preservation are discussed. The fourth part deals with the use of tritium as a target, as a source of radiation or light, and its utilization for geochemistry. The future development of the solid tritium target capable of elongating the life of neutron sources is expected. The rust thickness of the surface of iron can be measured with the X-ray of Ti-T or Zr-T. The tritium can substitute self-light emission paint or lamp. The tritium is suitable for tracing the movement of sea water and land surface water because of its long half life. (Iwakiri, K.)

  13. Accounting and Control of Tritium at the Tritium Process Laboratory (TPL) of JAERI - Results of 15-year Operation and Research Activity -

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishi, Masataka; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Hayashi, Takumi; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi

    Research and development work of fuel processing technology and tritium safe-handling technology necessary for fusion reactors has been performed at the Tritium Process Laboratory (TPL) of JAERI. TPL is the first facility in Japan permitted to handle tritium of more than 1g (about 0.36PBq), and its operation itself is also important for the development of fusion reactor facility in the viewpoint of tritium control. Various experiments have been carried out at TPL safely since 1988 controlling 22PBq of tritium as the maximum observing regulations. In addition to the regulatory accounting and control, detailed independent control in TPL was planned and was established throughits15-yearsafe-operation. For future fusion fuel facility where kilograms of tritium will be handled, method of tritium accounting has been researched and some new technologies have been developed at TPL. Results of TPL operation and of the research activity in it contributed the completion of the engineering design of ITER. Further research activity on tritium accounting and control is in progress in TPL for the future fusion reactors.

  14. Tritium handling, breeding, and containment in two conceptual fusion reactor designs: UWMAK-II and UWMAK-III

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clemmer, R.G.; Larsen, E.M.

    1976-01-01

    Tritium is an essential component of near-term controlled thermonuclear reactor systems. Since tritium is not likely to be available on a large scale at a modest cost, fusion reactor designs must incorporate blanket systems which will be capable of breeding tritium. Because of the radiological activity and capability of assimilation into living tissues, tritium release to the environment must be strictly controlled. The University of Wisconsin has completed three conceptual designs of fusion reactors, UWMAK-I, UWMAK-II, and UWMAK-III. This report discusses the tritium systems for UWMAK-II, a reactor design with a helium cooled solid breeder blanket, and UWMAK-III, a reactor design with a high-temperature liquid breeder blanket. Tritium systems for fueling and recycling, breeding and recovery, and plant containment and control are discussed. (Auth.)

  15. Tritium application: self-luminous glass tube(SLGT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, K.; Lee, S.K.; Chung, E.S.; Kim, K.S.; Kim, W.S.; Nam, G.J.

    2005-01-01

    To manufacture SLGTs (self-luminous glass tubes), 4 core technologies are needed: coating technology, tritium injection technology, laser sealing/cutting technology and tritium handling technology. The inside of the glass tubes is coated with greenish ZnS phosphor particles with sizes varying from 4∝5 [μm], and Cu, and Al as an activator and a co-dopant, respectively. We also found that it would be possible to produce a phosphor coated glass tube for the SLGT using the well established cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) bulb manufacturing technology. The conceptual design of the main process loop (PL) is almost done. A delicate technique will be needed for the sealing/cutting of the glass tubes. Instead of the existing torch technology, a new technology using a pulse-type laser is under investigation. The design basis of the tritium handling facilities is to minimize the operator's exposure to tritium uptake and the emission of tritium to the environment. To fulfill the requirements, major tritium handling components are located in the secondary containment such as the glove boxes (GBs) and/or the fume hoods. The tritium recovery system (TRS) is connected to a GB and PL to minimize the release of tritium as well as to remove the moisture and oxygen in the GB. (orig.)

  16. Current CTR-related tritium handling studies at ORNL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, J.S.; Bell, J.T.; Clinton, S.D.; Fisher, P.W.; Redman, J.D.; Smith, F.J.; Talbot, J.B.; Tung, C.P.

    1976-01-01

    The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has a comprehensive program concerned with plasma fuel recycle, tritium recovery from blankets, and tritium containment in fusion reactors. Two studies of most current interest are investigations of cryosorption pumping of hydrogen isotopes and measurements of tritium permeation rates through steam generator materials. Cryosorption pumping speeds have been measured for hydrogen, deuterium, and helium at pressures from 10 -8 torr to 3 x 10 -3 torr. Permeation rates through Incoloy 800 have been shown to be drastically reduced when the low pressure side of permeation tubes are exposed to steam. These results will be important considerations in the design of fusion reactor steam generators

  17. Conceptual design of tritium treatment facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tachikawa, Katsuhiro

    1982-01-01

    In connection with the development of fusion reactors, the development of techniques concerning tritium fuel cycle, such as the refining and circulation of fuel, the recovery of tritium from blanket, waste treatment and safe handling, is necessary. In Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, the design of the tritium process research laboratory has been performed since fiscal 1977, in which the following research is carried out: 1) development of hydrogen isotope separation techniques by deep cooling distillation method and thermal diffusion method, 2) development of the refining, collection and storage techniques for tritium using metallic getters and palladium-silver alloy films, and 3) development of the safe handling techniques for tritium. The design features of this facility are explained, and the design standard for radiation protection is shown. At present, in the detailed design stage, the containment of tritium and safety analysis are studied. The building is of reinforced concrete, and the size is 48 m x 26 m. Glove boxes and various tritium-removing facilities are installed in two operation rooms. Multiple wall containment system and tritium-removing facilities are explained. (Kako, I.)

  18. Survey of tritiated oil sources and handling practices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, J.M.

    1994-08-01

    Tritium interactions with oil sources (primarily associated with pumps) in tritium-handling facilities can lead to the incorporation of tritium in the oil and the production of tritiated hydrocarbons. This results in a source of radiological hazard and the need for special handling considerations during maintenance, decontamination, decommissioning and waste packaging and storage. The results of a general survey of tritiated-oil sources and their associated characteristics, handling practices, analysis techniques and waste treatment/storage methods are summarized here. Information was obtained from various tritium-handling laboratories, fusion devices, and CANDU plants. 38 refs., 1 fig

  19. Comparison of Tritium Component Failure Rate Data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee C. Cadwallader

    2004-01-01

    Published failure rate values from the US Tritium Systems Test Assembly, the Japanese Tritium Process Laboratory, the German Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe, and the Joint European Torus Active Gas Handling System have been compared. This comparison is on a limited set of components, but there is a good variety of data sets in the comparison. The data compared reasonably well. The most reasonable failure rate values are recommended for use on next generation tritium handling system components, such as those in the tritium plant systems for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and the tritium fuel systems of inertial fusion facilities, such as the US National Ignition Facility. These data and the comparison results are also shared with the International Energy Agency cooperative task on fusion component failure rate data

  20. Tritium issues in plasma wall interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanabe, T.

    2009-01-01

    In order to establish a D-T fusion reactor as an energy source, it is not enough to have a DT burning plasma, and economical conversion of fusion energy to electricity and/or heat, a large enough margin of tritium breeding and tritium safety must be simultaneously achieved. In particular, handling of huge amount of tritium needs a significant effort to ensure that the radiation dose of radiological workers and of the public is below the limits specified by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. For the safety reasons, tritium in a reactor will be limited to only a few kg orders in weight, with radioactivity up to 10 17 Bq. Since public exposure to tritium is regulated at a level as tiny as a few Bq/cm 2 , tritium must be strictly confined in a reactor system with accountancy of an order of pg (pico-gram). Generally qualitative analysis with the accuracy of more than 3 orders of magnitude is hardly possible. We are facing to lots of safety concerns in the handling of huge amounts of radioactive tritium as a fuel and to be bred in a blanket. In addition, tritium resources are very limited. Not only for the safety reason but also for the saving of tritium resources, tritium retention in a reactor must be kept as small as possible. In the present tokamaks, however, hydrogen retention is significantly large, i.e. more than 20% of fueled hydrogen is continuously piled up in the vacuum vessel, which must not be allowed in a reactor. After the introduction of tritium as a hydrogen radioisotope, this lecture will present tritium issues in plasma wall interactions, in particular, fueling, retention and recovering, considering the handling of large amounts of tritium, i.e. confinement, leakage, contamination, permeation, regulations and tritium accountancy. Progress in overcoming such problems will be also presented. This document is made of the slides of the presentation. (author)

  1. Studies on tritium incorporation into wheat plants after short-term exposure to atmospheric tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diabate, S.; Strack, S.; Raskob, W.

    1996-01-01

    The paper summarizes the results of a series of laboratory experiments to study the uptake, loss, conversion and translocation of tritium in wheat plants following a short-term exposure to atmospheric tritiated water vapour (HTO) under laboratory conditions. The experiments were accompanied by the development of a Plant-OBT-Model to calculate the tritium behaviour in wheat. Exposures of potted plants were carried out between anthesis and maturity, under day conditions at two different light intensities (900 μmol m -2 s -1 and 120 μmol m -2 s -1 photosynthetic active radiation) and under night conditions. In leaves, the tritium uptake into tissue water tritium (TWT) was about four times lower under night conditions than day conditions. Organically bound tritium (OBT) was generated in leaves, stems and ears under day as well as under night conditions. The initial relative OBT concentrations in leaves observed under night conditions were about 50% of those under day conditions. OBT was translocated into the grain in dependence on the growth rate of the grain. Due to incorporation of new organic matter with lower OBT concentration into the grain, the specific OBT concentrations decreased slightly until harvest but the total OBT was rather constant. Once translocation to grain has taken place, OBT is lost only slowly. The growth of the plants has been calibrated with the measured growth data of winter wheat and spring wheat. Subsequently, the tritium incorporation was calibrated using the results of the exposure experiments in the same year. The final OBT concentration in the grain can be predicted with sufficient precision. However, the modelling of the OBT formation and turnover processes right after exposure to tritium needs improvement. A comprehensive validation of the model with independent data sets is still necessary. (J.P.N.)

  2. Tritium application: self-luminous glass tube(SLGT)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, K.; Lee, S.K.; Chung, E.S.; Kim, K.S.; Kim, W.S. [Nuclear Power Lab., Korea Electric Power Research Inst. (KEPRI), Daejeon (Korea); Nam, G.J. [Engineering Information Technology Center, Inst. for Advanced Engineering (IAE), Kyonggi-do (Korea)

    2005-07-01

    To manufacture SLGTs (self-luminous glass tubes), 4 core technologies are needed: coating technology, tritium injection technology, laser sealing/cutting technology and tritium handling technology. The inside of the glass tubes is coated with greenish ZnS phosphor particles with sizes varying from 4{proportional_to}5 [{mu}m], and Cu, and Al as an activator and a co-dopant, respectively. We also found that it would be possible to produce a phosphor coated glass tube for the SLGT using the well established cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) bulb manufacturing technology. The conceptual design of the main process loop (PL) is almost done. A delicate technique will be needed for the sealing/cutting of the glass tubes. Instead of the existing torch technology, a new technology using a pulse-type laser is under investigation. The design basis of the tritium handling facilities is to minimize the operator's exposure to tritium uptake and the emission of tritium to the environment. To fulfill the requirements, major tritium handling components are located in the secondary containment such as the glove boxes (GBs) and/or the fume hoods. The tritium recovery system (TRS) is connected to a GB and PL to minimize the release of tritium as well as to remove the moisture and oxygen in the GB. (orig.)

  3. Tritium contaminated waste management at the tritium systems test assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jalbert, R.A.; Carlson, R.V.

    1987-01-01

    The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos continues to move toward full operation of an integrated, full-sized, computer-controlled fusion fuel processing loop. Concurrent nonloop experiments further the development of advanced tritium technologies and handling methods. Since tritium operations began in June 1984, tritium contaminated wastes have been produced at TSTA that are roughly typical in kind and amount of those to be produced by tritium fueling operations at fusion reactors. Methods of managing these wastes are described, including information on some methods of decontamination so that equipment can be reused. Data are given on the kinds and amounts of wastes and the general level of contamination. Also included are data on environmental emissions and doses to personnel that have resulted from TSTA operations. Particular problems in waste managements are discussed

  4. Tritium handling and processing experience at TSTA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.; Okuno, K.

    1994-01-01

    In 1987, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) signed a collaborative agreement (Annex IV) for the joint funding and operation of the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for a five year period ending June, 1992. After this initial five year collaboration, the Annex IV agreement was extended for another two year period ending June, 1994. During the first five years, a number of the integrated process loop tests of TSTA were conducted, as well as off-line testing of TSTA subsystems. During integrated loop testing the vacuum system, fuel cleanup systems, isotope separation system, transfer pumping system and gas analysis system, are interconnected and tested using 100 g-inventories of tritium to demonstrate steady-state operation of a tritium fuel processing cycle for a fusion reactor. These tests have resulted in a number of significant accomplishments and an experience data base on research, development and operation of the fuel processing system. One of the most significant accomplishments during the initial five year period was the continuous operation of the fuel processing loop for 25 days. During this 25-day extended operation, both the JAERI fuel cleanup system (J-FCU) and the original TSTA fuel cleanup system (FCU) were operated under similar conditions of flow, pressure, and impurity content of the DT gas. Both fuel cleanup systems were demonstrated to provide adequate impurity removal for plasma exhaust gas processing. The isotope separation system was operated continuously, producing pure tritium while rejecting protium as an impurity

  5. Coal handling system structural analysis for modifications or plant life extension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dufault, A.; Weider, F.; Doyle, P.

    1989-01-01

    One neglected aspect of plant modification or life extension is the extent to which previous projects may have affected the integrity of existing structures. During the course of a project to backfit fire protection facilities to existing coal handling systems, it was found that past modifications had added loads to existing coal handling structures which exceeded the available design margin. This paper describes the studies that discovered the original problem areas, as well as the detailed analysis and design considerations used to repair these structures

  6. Tritium Systems Test Assembly: design for major device fabrication review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.; Sherman, R.H.

    1977-06-01

    This document has been prepared for the Major Device Fabrication Review for the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA). The TSTA is dedicated to the development, demonstration, and interfacing of technologies related to the deuterium-tritium fuel cycle for fusion reactor systems. The principal objectives for TSTA are: (a) demonstrate the fuel cycle for fusion reactor systems; (b) develop test and qualify equipment for tritium service in the fusion program; (c) develop and test environmental and personnel protective systems; (d) evaluate long-term reliability of components; (e) demonstrate long-term safe handling of tritium with no major releases or incidents; and (f) investigate and evaluate the response of the fuel cycle and environmental packages to normal, off-normal, and emergency situations. This document presents the current status of a conceptual design and cost estimate for TSTA. The total cost to design, construct, and operate TSTA through FY-1981 is estimated to be approximately $12.2 M

  7. Tritium technology. A Canadian overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hemmings, R.L. [Canatom NPM (Canada)

    2002-10-01

    An overview of the various tritium research and operational activities in Canada is presented. These activities encompass tritium processing and recovery, tritium interactions with materials, and tritium health and safety. Many of these on-going activities form a sound basis for the tritium use and handling aspects of the ITER project. Tritium management within the CANDU heavy water reactor, associated detritiation facilities, research and development facilities, and commercial industry and improving the understanding of tritium behaviour in humans and the environment remain the focus of a long-standing Canadian interest in tritium. While there have been changes in the application of this knowledge and experience over time, the operating experience and the supporting research and development continue to provide for improved plant and facility operations, an improved understanding of tritium safety issues, and improved products and tools that facilitate tritium management. (author)

  8. Tritium technology. A Canadian overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemmings, R.L.

    2002-01-01

    An overview of the various tritium research and operational activities in Canada is presented. These activities encompass tritium processing and recovery, tritium interactions with materials, and tritium health and safety. Many of these on-going activities form a sound basis for the tritium use and handling aspects of the ITER project. Tritium management within the CANDU heavy water reactor, associated detritiation facilities, research and development facilities, and commercial industry and improving the understanding of tritium behaviour in humans and the environment remain the focus of a long-standing Canadian interest in tritium. While there have been changes in the application of this knowledge and experience over time, the operating experience and the supporting research and development continue to provide for improved plant and facility operations, an improved understanding of tritium safety issues, and improved products and tools that facilitate tritium management. (author)

  9. Tritium emissions reduction facility (TERF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamberger, P.H.; Hedley, W.H.

    1993-01-01

    Tritium handling operations at Mound include production of tritium-containing devices, evaluation of the stability of tritium devices, tritium recovery and enrichment, tritium process development, and research. In doing this work, gaseous process effluents containing 400,000 to 1,000,000 curies per year of tritium are generated. These gases must be decontaminated before they can be discharged to the atmosphere. They contain tritium as elemental hydrogen, as tritium oxide, and as tritium-containing organic compounds at low concentrations (typically near one ppm). The rate at which these gases is generated is highly variable. Some tritium-containing gas is generated at all times. The systems used at Mound for capturing tritium from process effluents have always been based on the open-quotes oxidize and dryclose quotes concept. They have had the ability to remove tritium, regardless of the form it was in. The current system, with a capacity of 1.0 cubic meter of gas per minute, can effectively remove tritium down to part-per-billion levels

  10. Tips for the fabrication of temporary tritium experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binning, K.E.; Jenkins, E.M.

    1988-01-01

    The Tritium System Test Assembly (TSTA) is a facility built for the demonstration of tritium handling systems necessary for tritium-burning fusion reactors. The facility has been in operation handling tritium for four years. The current inventory of tritium is approximately one hundred grams, with DOE approval for a maximum inventory of two hundred grams. Not all experiments performed at TSTA require the operation of the main process loop. During the last four years, many small scale experiments have been performed to test the compatibility and operation of tritium processing components in small self-contained experimental packages. These packages are fabricated inside secondary containment gloveboxes and can be operated for hours or months with little monitoring. Construction of these packages need to be tritium compatible, inexpensive, easy to build, and versatile. This paper discusses some of the problems and remedies encountered during the building of temporary experiments

  11. Tips for the fabrication of temporary tritium experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Binning, K.E.; Jenkins, E.M.

    1988-01-01

    The Tritium System Test Assembly (TSTA) is a facility built for the demonstration of tritium handling systems necessary for tritium-burning fusion reactors. The facility has been in operation handling tritium for four years. The current inventory of tritium is approximately one hundred grams with DOE approval exists for a maximum inventory of two hundred grams. Not all experiments performed at TSTA require the operation of the main process loop. During the last four years, many small scale experiments have been performed to test the compatibility and operation of tritium processing components in small self-contained experimental packages. These packages are fabricated inside secondary containment gloveboxes and can be operated for hours or months with little monitoring. Construction of these packages need to be tritium compatible, inexpensive, easy to build, and versatile. This paper discusses some of the problems and remedies encountered during the building of temporary experiments

  12. ITER safety task NID-5a: ITER tritium environmental source terms - safety analysis basis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Natalizio, A.; Kalyanam, K.M.

    1994-09-01

    The Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project's (CFFTP) is part of the contribution to ITER task NID-5a, Initial Tritium Source Term. This safety analysis basis constitutes the first part of the work for establishing tritium source terms and is intended to solicit comments and obtain agreement. The analysis objective is to provide an early estimate of tritium environmental source terms for the events to be analyzed. Events that would result in the loss of tritium are: a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA), a vacuum vessel boundary breach. a torus exhaust line failure, a fuelling machine process boundary failure, a fuel processing system process boundary failure, a water detritiation system process boundary failure and an isotope separation system process boundary failure. 9 figs

  13. Tritium in metals: Techniques of preparation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laesser, R.; Klatt, K.H.; Mecking, P.; Wenzl, H.

    1982-08-01

    In order to study the behavior of tritium in metals, an all metal apparatus has been built for the safe handling of 100 mg of tritium. Samples of palladium, vanadium, niobium, and tantalum were loaded with tritium, deuterium or hydrogen. Some details of the phase diagrams could be established by DTA and by measurement of the lattice parameters. The diffusion of tritium in V, Nb, and Ta was studied with the Gorsky-effect. (TWO)

  14. Development of a tritium monitor combined with an electrochemical tritium pump using a proton conducting oxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tanaka, M. [National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, Gifu (Japan); Sugiyama, T. [Nagoya University, Fro-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya (Japan)

    2015-03-15

    The detection of low level tritium is one of the key issues for tritium management in tritium handling facilities. Such a detection can be performed by tritium monitors based on proton conducting oxide technique. We tested a tritium monitoring system composed of a commercial proportional counter combined with an electrochemical hydrogen pump equipped with CaZr{sub 0.9}In{sub 0.1}O{sub 3-α} as proton conducting oxide. The hydrogen pump operated at 973 K under electrolysis conditions using tritiated water vapor (HTO). The proton conducting oxide extracts tritium molecules (HT) from HTO and tritium concentration is measured by the proportional counter. The advantage of the proposed tritium monitoring system is that it is able to convert HTO into molecular hydrogen.

  15. Overhead remote handling systems for the process facility modifications project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiesener, R.W.; Grover, D.L.

    1987-01-01

    Each of the cells in the process facility modifications (PFM) project complex is provided with a variety of general purpose remote handling equipment including bridge cranes, monorail hoist, bridge-mounted electromechanical manipulator (EMM) and an overhead robot used for high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter changeout. This equipment supplements master-slave manipulators (MSMs) located throughout the complex to provide an overall remote handling system capability. The overhead handling equipment is used for fuel and waste material handling operations throughout the process cells. The system also provides the capability for remote replacement of all in-cell process equipment which may fail or be replaced for upgrading during the lifetime of the facility

  16. Management of tritium at nuclear facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-01-01

    This report presents extending summaries of the works of the participants to an IAEA co-ordinated research programme, ''Handling Tritium - bearing effluents and wastes''. The subjects covered include production of tritium in nuclear power plants (mainly heavy water and light water reactors), as well as at reprocessing plants; removal and enrichment of tritium at nuclear facilities; conditioning methods and characteristics of immobilized tritium of low and high concentration; some potential methods of storage and disposal of tritium. In addition to the conclusions of this three-years work, possible activities in the field are recommended

  17. Tritium sorption by cement and subsequent release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ono, F.; Tanaka, S.; Yamawaki, M.

    1994-01-01

    In a fusion reactor or tritium handling facilities, contamination of concrete by tritium and subsequent release from it to the reactor or experimental rooms is a matter of problem for safety control of tritium and management of operational environment. In order to evaluate these tritium behavior, interaction of tritiated water with concrete or cement should be clarified. In the present study, HTO sorption and subsequent release from cement were studied by combining various experimental methods. From the basic studies on tritium-cement interactions, it has become possible to evaluate tritium uptake by cement or concrete and subsequent tritium release behavior as well as tritium removing methods from them

  18. Quick management of accidental tritium exposure cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, V. P.; Badiger, N. M.; Managanvi, S. S.; Bhat, H. R.

    2008-01-01

    Removal half-life (RHL) of tritium is one of the best means for optimising medical treatment, reduction of committed effective dose (CED) and quick/easy handling of a large group of workers for medical treatment reference. The removal of tritium from the body depends on age, temperature, relative humidity and daily rainfall; so tritium removal rate, its follow-up and proper data analysis and recording are the best techniques for management of accidental acute tritium exposed cases. The decision of referring for medical treatment or medical intervention (MI) would be based on workers' tritium RHL history taken from their bodies at the facilities. The workers with tritium intake up to 1 ALI shall not be considered for medical treatment as it is a derived limit of annual total effective dose. The short-term MI may be considered for tritium intake of 1-10 ALI; however, if the results show intake ≥100 ALI, extended strong medical/therapeutic intervention may be recommended based on the severity of exposure for maximum CED reduction requirements and annual total effective dose limit. The methodology is very useful for pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) which are mainly operated by Canada and India and future fusion reactor technologies. Proper management will optimise the cases for medical treatment and enhance public acceptance of nuclear fission and fusion reactor technologies. (authors)

  19. Quick management of accidental tritium exposure cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Vishwanath P; Badiger, N M; Managanvi, S S; Bhat, H R

    2012-07-01

    Removal half-life (RHL) of tritium is one of the best means for optimising medical treatment, reduction of committed effective dose (CED) and quick/easy handling of a large group of workers for medical treatment reference. The removal of tritium from the body depends on age, temperature, relative humidity and daily rainfall; so tritium removal rate, its follow-up and proper data analysis and recording are the best techniques for management of accidental acute tritium exposed cases. The decision of referring for medical treatment or medical intervention (MI) would be based on workers' tritium RHL history taken from their bodies at the facilities. The workers with tritium intake up to 1 ALI shall not be considered for medical treatment as it is a derived limit of annual total effective dose. The short-term MI may be considered for tritium intake of 1-10 ALI; however, if the results show intake ≥100 ALI, extended strong medical/therapeutic intervention may be recommended based on the severity of exposure for maximum CED reduction requirements and annual total effective dose limit. The methodology is very useful for pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) which are mainly operated by Canada and India and future fusion reactor technologies. Proper management will optimise the cases for medical treatment and enhance public acceptance of nuclear fission and fusion reactor technologies.

  20. Tritium decontamination of machine components and walls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hircq, B.; Wong, K.Y.; Jalbert, R.A.; Shmayda, W.T.

    1991-01-01

    Tritium decontamination techniques for machine components and their application at tritium handling facilities are reviewed. These include commonly used methods such as vacuuming, purging, thermal desorption and isotopic exchange as well as less common methods such as chemical/electrochemical etching, plasma discharge cleaning, and destructive methods. Problems associated with tritium contamination of walls and use of protective coatings are reviewed. Tritium decontamination considerations at fusion facilities are discussed

  1. A Gas Target with a Tritium Gas Handling System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holmqvist, B; Wiedling, T

    1963-12-15

    A detailed description is given of a simple tritium gas target and its tritium gas filling system, and how to put it into operation. By using the T (p,n) He reaction the gas target has been employed for production of monoenergetic fast neutrons of well defined energy and high intensity. The target has been operated successfully for a long time.

  2. Tritium uptake in cultivated plants after short-term exposure to atmospheric tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diabate, S.; Strack, S.; Paunescu, N.

    1998-01-01

    The tritium behavior in crop plants is of particular interest for the prediction of doses to humans due to ingestion. Tritium is present in plants in two forms: tritium free water tissue (TWT) and organically bound tritium (OBT). The both forms are to be considered in models calculating the ingestion dose. Potato plants belong to the major food crops in many countries and were chosen as representatives of crops whose edible parts grow under ground. Green bean were chosen as representatives of vegetables relevant in human diet. This vegetable may be consumed as green pod and it may be conserved over a long period of time. Green bean and potato plants were exposed to tritiated water vapor in the atmosphere during their generative phase of development. The uptake of tritium and the conversion into organic matter was studied under laboratory conditions at two different light intensities. The tritium concentrations in plants were followed until harvest. In leaves, the tritium uptake into tissue water under night conditions was 5-6 times lower than under day-time conditions. The initial incorporation into organic matter under night conditions was 0.7% of the tissue water concentration in leaves of both plant species. However, under light irradiation, this value increased to only 1.8% in bean leaves and 0.9% in potato leaves, which indicates a participation of processes other than photosynthesis in tritium incorporation into organic material. Organically bound tritium (OBT) was translocated into pods and tubers which represented a high percentage of the total organically bound tritium at harvest. The behavior of total OBT in all plants under study showed that OBT, once generated, is lost very slowly until harvest, in particular when storage organs of plants were in their phase of development at the time of exposure. OBT is translocated into the storage organs which may be used in the human diet and thus may contribute to the ingestion dose for a long time after the

  3. Tritium handling and vacuum considerations for the STARFIRE commercial tokamak reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finn, P.A.; Clemmer, R.G.; Maroni, V.A.; Dillow, C.

    1979-01-01

    Tritium processing and vacuum pumping requirements were analyzed for the STARFIRE commercial fusion reactor design. It was found that vacuum pumps having a helium capture probability of 0.5 (total helium pump speed 1.2 x 10 4 m 3 /s) in combination with the proposed STARFIRE limiter-vacuum concept is sufficient to achieve plasma impurity control and, simultaneously, high fractional burnup (11%). The high fractional burnup and minimum fuel recycle time result in a very low fuel cycle tritium inventory, approx. 1300 g. A Lean-T burn method that can further reduce the fuel cycle inventory by 30 to 50% is discussed. D 2 O is proposed as a first wall coolant from considerations of plasma contamination (due to hydrogen isotope permeation through coolant tubes) and enrichment of recycled tritium from the coolant circuit. Tritium recovery from solid breeders, under realistic structural and breeder materials constraints, appears to represent a formidable task. The tritium inventory in the solid breeder is estimated to be as high as 10 kg, which would make the blanket the largest single hold-up point for tritium in the plant

  4. Tritium Assay and Dispensing of KEPRI Tritium Lab

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sohn, S. H.; Song, K. M.; Lee, S. K.; Lee, K.W.; Ko, B. W.

    2009-01-01

    The Wolsong Tritium Removal Facility(WTRF) has been constructed to reduce tritium levels in the heavy water systems and environmental emissions at the site. The WTRF was designed to process 100 kg/h of heavy water with the overall tritium extraction efficiency of 97% per single pass and to produce ∼700 g of tritium as T2 per year at the feed concentration of 0.37 TBq/kg. The high purity tritium greater than 99% is immobilized as a metal hydride to secure its long term storage. The recovered tritium will be made available for industrial uses and some research applications in the future. Then KEPRI is constructing the tritium lab. to build-up infrastructure to support tritium research activities and to support tritium control and accountability systems for tritium export. This paper describes the initial phases of the tritium application program including the laboratory infrastructure to support the tritium related R and D activities and the tritium controls in Korea

  5. Present status of tritium research activities at universities in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamura, K.

    1983-01-01

    The behaviours of tritium towards various materials are very similar to those of hydrogen, since tritium is one of the hydrogen isotope. In addition to those properties, tritium shows the radiochemical and radiological reactivities due to an emitted #betta#-ray. The permeability of tritium through various materials is the example of the former. The formation of tritiated methane in tritium stored in stainless steel vessels and the increase of helium content in tritium-bearing metallic materials are the examples of the latter. For these reasons, advanced and somewhat more complicated techniques are required for handling tritium. After the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MOE) made an appropriation on Grant-in-Aid for Fusion Research in 1975 year's budget, development of tritium handling technology for fusion reactors have been actively pursued. The specific experiments to be embodied in present research activities are: 1. Measurements of tritium permeation rate through various materials. 2. Fundamental studies on tritium containment materials. 3. Fundamental studies of tritium waste treatment and storage. In this paper, the works achieved under the above research activities are described and some results obtained from experiments are reported. (author)

  6. Handling of tritium contaminated effluents and wastes: Final Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varghese, C.; Singh, I.; Agarwal, R.P.; Ramani, M.P.S.; Khan, A.A.

    1983-01-01

    This report deals with the work on: (1) applicability of cotton, woodpulp, sawdust and certian cellulosic derivatives for the removal of tritium from aqueous medium, (2) containment and fixation of tritiated water in nonleachable matrices. The absorption studies on cotton, woodpulp, sawdust, and cellulose acetates were carried out with a view to assess their potentialities as concentration media and also to choose a matrix which can concentrate tritium to the maximum extent possible. The experiments on water hyacinth plants were designed to see the applicability of concentrating tritium and also for providing a via medium for slow release of tritium into the atmosphere. The immobilisation of tritiated water in cement matrices was studied with combinations of portland cement and five filler materials namely sand, silica, vermiculite, portland cement aggregate and accoproof. If cement blocks come in contact with aqueous media as it may happen when the tritium bearing blocks are disposed to the ground, a considerable portion of the contained activity is likely to diffuse and leach out. In order to prevent this, it was proposed to try several coating materials as diffusion barriers over cement blocks. Screening of locally available coating materials was done using a diffusion cell. Shalismatic HD, Anticor and epoxy paint were found to be promising among the screened materials. Tritiated cement blocks with 29% vermiculite loading were coated with the above coating materials, and were subjected to leaching, both in sea water and distilled water. The cumulative leaching data for tritiated cement blocks over a period of 400 days show that Shalimastic HD, when used as a coating material, retards the leaching to the maximum extent. Further leaching studies were started on Shalimastic HD blocks in one ground water formulation, which is continued to this date. (author)

  7. Tritium: a model for low level long-term ionizing radiation exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carsten, A.L.

    1984-01-01

    The somatic, cytogenetic and genetic effects of single and chronic tritiated water (HTO) ingestion in mice was investigated. This study serves not only as an evaluation of tritium toxicity (TRITOX) but due to its design involving long-term low concentration ingestion of HTO may serve as a model for low level long-term ionizing radiation exposure in general. Long-term studies involved animals maintained on HTO at concentrations of 0.3 μCi/ml, 1.0 μCi/ml, 3.0 μCi/ml or depth dose equivalent chronic external exposures to 137 Cs gamma rays. Maintenance on 3.0 μCi/ml resulted in no effect on growth, life-time shortening or bone marrow cellularity, but did result in a reduction of bone marrow stem cells, an increase in DLM's in second generation animals maintained on this regimen and cytogenetic effects as indicated by increased sister chromatid exchanges (SCE's) in bone marrow cells, increased chromosome aberrations in the regenerating liver and an increase in micronuclei in red blood cells. Biochemical and microdosimetry studies showed that animals placed on the HTO regimen reached tritium equilibrium in the body water in approximately 17 to 21 days with a more gradual increase in bound tritium. When animals maintained for 180 days on 3.0 μCi/ml HTO were placed on a tap water regimen, the tritium level in tissue dropped from the equilibrium value of 2.02 μCi/ml before withdrawal to 0.001 μCi/ml at 28 days. 18 references

  8. Timing tests: automatic valve closure for tritium leaks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanel, S.

    1976-01-01

    How fast can an automotive valve be closed after a tritium leak occurs in a system. Tests described found that a valve can be closed within fifteen seconds of leakage. In one practical example considered, this delay would limit loss of tritium from a plumbing leak in a tritium system to 1 1 / 4 g. The tests were made in a typical LLL air-flush hood in which a tritium handling system had been installed. Incidental observations suggest that further study be made of a possible leak-actuated recovery system for an entire tritium facility

  9. Some recent changes in tritium handling and control at Mound Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rhinehammer, T.B.

    1976-01-01

    Significant reductions in tritium effluents and personnel exposures at Mound Laboratory have been made during the past 5 yr. Yearly effluents are less than 3 percent of former levels and personnel exposures have been reduced by a factor of 300. Several recent changes which have contributed to these reductions include lowered tritium levels in gloveboxes, and the efficiency and capacity of Mound's new effluent removal system. Personnel exposures have been reduced dramatically by changing to precious metal catalytic converters or oxidizers for use with the glovebox gas purification system. Unlike some former systems using hot copper or proprietary reactants for oxygen removal, a catalyst provides very effective removal of both oxygen and tritium. Both oxygen and tritium can be monitored and, if necessary, increments of hydrogen in argon can be added until the oxygen level is brought down to the desired value

  10. Survey of tritium wastes and effluents in near-term fusion-research facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bickford, W.E.; Dingee, D.A.; Willingham, C.E.

    1981-08-01

    The use of tritium control technology in near-term research facilities has been studied for both the magnetic and inertial confinement fusion programs. This study focused on routine generation of tritium wastes and effluents, with little referene to accidents or facility decommissioning. This report serves as an independent review of the effectiveness of planned control technology and radiological hazards associated with operation. The facilities examined for the magnetic fusion program included Fusion Materials Irradiation Testing Facility (FMIT), Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA), and Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) in the magnetic fusion program, while NOVA and Antares facilities were examined for the inertial confinement program

  11. Prediction of tritium behavior in rice plant after a short-term exposure of HTO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yook, Dae Sik; Lee, Kun Jai; Choi, Heui Joo; Lee, Chang Min

    2001-01-01

    In many Asian countries including Korea, rice is a very important food crop. Its grain is consumed by humans and its straw is used to feed animals. Because four CANDU reactors are in operation in Korea, relatively large amounts of tritium are released into the environment and the dose by these tritium in the rice plant must be estimated. Since 1997, KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has carried out experimental studies to obtain domestic data on various parameters related to the direct tritium contamination of plant. But the analysis of the tritium behavior in the rice plant has been insufficient. In this study, the behavior of the tritium in the rice plant is predicted and compared with the measurement performed at KAERI. Using the conceptual model of the soil-plant-atmosphere tritiated water transport system which was suggested by Charles E. Murphy, transient tritium concentrations in soil and leaves were predicted. If the effect of tritium concentration in the soil is taken into account, the tritium concentration in leaves can be described by a double exponential model, however if the tritium concentration in the soil is disregarded, the tritium concentration in leaves can be described by a single exponential term like other relevant models e.g. UFOTRI or STAR-H3 model. The results can be used to predict the tritium concentration in the rice plant near the plant site and to estimate the ingestion dose after the release of tritium to the environment

  12. Computer aided accountancy for tritium handling systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spannagel, G.; Schmid, C.

    1993-03-01

    A program is presented which can be used in tritium bearing systems for inventory taking and accountancy purposes. In particular, a detailed description is given of the environment in which this program has been integrated. It is explained in which way a high user friendliness has been attained and which structures contribute to achieving the flexibility required. (orig.) [de

  13. Operation of the tokamak fusion test reactor tritium systems during initial tritium experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.; Gentile, C.; Kalish, M.; Kamperschroer, J.; Kozub, T.; LaMarche, P.; Murray, H.; Nagy, A.; Raftopoulos, S.; Rossmassler, R.; Sissingh, R.; Swanson, J.; Tulipano, F.; Viola, M.; Voorhees, D.; Walters, R.T.

    1995-01-01

    The high power D-T experiments on the tokamak fusion test reactor (TFTR) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory commenced in November 1993. During initial operation of the tritium systems a number of start-up problems surfaced and had to be corrected. These were corrected through a series of system modifications and upgrades and by repair of failed or inadequate components. Even as these operational concerns were being addressed, the tritium systems continued to support D-T operations on the tokamak. During the first six months of D-T operations more than 107kCi of tritium were processed successfully by the tritium systems. D-T experiments conducted at TFTR during this period provided significant new data. Fusion power in excess of 9MW was achieved in May 1994. This paper describes some of the early start-up issues, and reports on the operation of the tritium system and the tritium tracking and accounting system during the early phase of TFTR D-T experiments. (orig.)

  14. Canadian capabilities in fusion fuels technology and remote handling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-10-01

    This report describes Canadian expertise in fusion fuels technology and remote handling. The Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project (CFFTP) was established and is funded by the Canadian government, the province of Ontario and Ontario Hydro to focus on the technology necessary to produce and manage the tritium and deuterium fuels to be used in fusion power reactors. Its activities are divided amongst three responsibility areas, namely, the development of blanket, first wall, reactor exhaust and fuel processing systems, the development of safe and reliable operating procedures for fusion facilities, and, finally, the application of these developments to specific projects such as tritium laboratories. CFFTP also hopes to utilize and adapt Canadian developments in an international sense, by, for instance, offering training courses to the international tritium community. Tritium management expertise is widely available in Canada because tritium is a byproduct of the routine operation of CANDU reactors. Expertise in remote handling is another byproduct of research and development of of CANDU facilities. In addition to describing the remote handling technology developed in Canada, this report contains a brief description of the Canadian tritium laboratories, storage beds and extraction plants as well as a discussion of tritium monitors and equipment developed in support of the CANDU reactor and fusion programs. Appendix A lists Canadian manufacturers of tritium equipment and Appendix B describes some of the projects performed by CFFTP for offshore clients

  15. Design Package for Fuel Retrieval System Fuel Handling Tool Modification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    TEDESCHI, D.J.

    2000-01-01

    This is a design package that contains the details for a modification to a tool used for moving fuel elements during loading of MCO Fuel Baskets for the Fuel Retrieval System. The tool is called the fuel handling tool (or stinger). This document contains requirements, development design information, tests, and test reports

  16. Management of tritium contaminated wastes national strategies and practices at some European countries, USA and Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mannone, F.

    1992-01-01

    The European Tritium Handling Experiment Laboratory (ETHEL) is the Commission of European Communities facility designed for handling multigram quantities of tritium for safety inherent R and D purposes. Tritium contamined wastes in gaseous, liquid and solid forms will be generated in ETHEL during the experiments as well as during the maintenance operations. All such wastes must be adequately managed under the safest operating conditions to minimize the releases of tritium to the environment and the consequent radiological risks to workers and general population. This safety requirement can be met by carefully defining strategies and practices to be applied for the safe management of these wastes. To this end an adequate background information must be collected which is the intent of this report. Through an exhaustive literature survey current strategies and practices applied in Europe, USA and Canada for managing tritiated wastes from specific tritium handling laboratories and plant have been assessed. For some countries, where only tritium bearing wastes simultaneously contaminated with nuclear fission products are generated, the attention has been focused on the strategies and practices currently applied for managing fission wastes. Operational criteria for waste collection, sorting, classification, conditioning and packaging as well as acceptance criteria for their storage or disposal have been identified. Waste storage or disposal options already applied in various countries or still being investigated in terms of safety have also been considered. Even if the radwaste management strategy is submitted to a nearly continuing process of review, some general comments resulting from the assessment of the present waste management scenario are presented. 60 refs., 16 figs., 13 tabs

  17. 327 Building liquid waste handling options modification project plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ham, J.E.

    1998-01-01

    This report evaluates the modification options for handling radiological liquid waste (RLW) generated during decontamination and cleanout of the 327 Building. The overall objective of the 327 Facility Stabilization Project is to establish a passively safe and environmentally secure configuration of the 327 Facility. The issue of handling of RLW from the 327 Facility (assuming the 34O Facility is not available to accept the RLW) has been conceptually examined in at least two earlier engineering studies (Parsons 1997a and Hobart l997). Each study identified a similar preferred alternative that included modifying the 327 Facility RLWS handling systems to provide a truck load-out station, either within the confines of the facility or exterior to the facility. The alternatives also maximized the use of existing piping, tanks, instrumentation, controls and other features to minimize costs and physical changes. An issue discussed in each study involved the anticipated volume of the RLW stream. Estimates ranged between 113,550 and 387,500 liters in the earlier studies. During the development of the 324/327 Building Stabilization/Deactivation Project Management Plan, the lower estimate of approximately 113,550 liters was confirmed and has been adopted as the baseline for the 327 Facility RLW stream. The goal of this engineering study is to reevaluate the existing preferred alternative and select a new preferred alternative, if appropriate. Based on the new or confirmed preferred alternative, this study will also provide a conceptual design and cost estimate for required modifications to the 327 Facility to allow removal of RLWS and treatment of the RLW generated during deactivation

  18. Automated system for handling tritiated mixed waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dennison, D.K.; Merrill, R.D.; Reitz, T.C.

    1995-03-01

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is developing a semi system for handling, characterizing, processing, sorting, and repackaging hazardous wastes containing tritium. The system combines an IBM-developed gantry robot with a special glove box enclosure designed to protect operators and minimize the potential release of tritium to the atmosphere. All hazardous waste handling and processing will be performed remotely, using the robot in a teleoperational mode for one-of-a-kind functions and in an autonomous mode for repetitive operations. Initially, this system will be used in conjunction with a portable gas system designed to capture any gaseous-phase tritium released into the glove box. This paper presents the objectives of this development program, provides background related to LLNL's robotics and waste handling program, describes the major system components, outlines system operation, and discusses current status and plans

  19. Separation of tritium from gaseous and aqueous effluent systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobisk, E.H.

    1977-01-01

    Removal or reduction of tritium content in a wide variety of effluent streams has been extensively studied in the United States. This paper specifically reviews three processes involving tritium separation in the gaseous phase and the aqueous phase. Diffusion through a selective Pd-25Ag alloy membrane at temperatures up to 600 0 C and at pressures up to 700 kg/cm 2 has resulted in successful separation of hydrogen-deuterium mixtures with an associated separation factor of 1.65 (and gives a calculated separation factor for hydrogen-tritium mixtures of 2.0). Use of a single palladium bipolar membrane in an electrolysis system has been found to yield a hydrogen-deuterium separation factor of 4 and a hydrogen-tritium factor of 6 to 11 without the production of gaseous hydrogen. Finally, countercurrent catalytic exchange between tritium-containing hydrogen gas and water has yielded a separation factor of 6.3. The specific advantages of each of these systems will be discussed in terms of their potential applications. In all cases, further investigations are necessary to scale the systems to handle large quantities of feed material in a continuous mode and to minimize energy requirements. Such separative systems must necessarily be cascaded to yield gaseous or aqueous product streams suitable for recycling to the tritium producing systems, for storage or for discharge to the environment. (orig./HP) [de

  20. Tritium processing and containment technology for fusion reactors: perspective and status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maroni, V.A.

    1976-01-01

    This paper reviews the status of selected tritium processing and containment technologies that will be required to support the development of the fusion energy program. Considered in order are the fuel conditioning and recycle systems, the containment and cleanup systems, the blanket processing systems, and two unique problems relating to tritium interactions in neutral beam injectors and first wall coolant circuits. The major technical problem areas appear to lie in the development of (1) high-capacity, rapid recycle plasma chamber evacuation systems; (2) large-capacity (greater than or equal to 100,000 cfm) air handling and processing systems for atmospheric detritiation; (3) tritium recovery technology for liquid lithium blanket concepts; (4) tritium compatible neutral injector systems; and (5) an overall approach to tritium handling and containment that guarantees near zero release to the environment at a bearable cost

  1. Water metabolism and modification of tritium excretion in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ichimasa, Y.; Akita, Y.

    1982-01-01

    1. The intake and excretion of tritium were studied in rats exposed to tritiated water vapor. The metabolism of tritium was also investigated in rats given single administrations of tritiated water and in rats given daily administrations (per os or i.p.). The results were essentially in accord with those reported previously. 2. Amounts of drinking water consumed and urine excreted by rats drinking water with 0.15% saccharin were 1.5 to 2 times higher than in rats drinking tap water. The tritium activity in various tissues of rats drinking water with 0.15% saccharin decreased to about half of that of rats drinking tap water. A similar tendency was observed also in rats drinking beer. The diuretic agent sodium acetazolamide also enhanced the urinary excretion of tritium. (author)

  2. Tritium processing and containment technology for fusion reactors. Annual report, July 1975--June 1976

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maroni, V.A.; Calaway, W.F.; Misra, B.; Van Deventer, E.H.; Weston, J.R.; Yonco, R.M.; Cafasso, F.A.; Burris, L.

    1976-01-01

    The hydrogen permeabilities of selected metals, alloys, and multiplex preparations that are of interest to fusion reactor technology are being characterized. A high-vacuum hydrogen-permeation apparatus has been constructed for this purpose. A program of studies has been initiated to develop design details for the tritium-handling systems of near-term fusion reactors. This program has resulted in a better definition of reactor-fuel-cycle and enrichment requirements and has helped to identify major research and development problems in the tritium-handling area. The design and construction of a 50-gallon lithium-processing test loop (LPTL) is well under way. Studies in support of this project are providing important guidance in the selection of hardware for the LPTL and in the design of a molten-salt processing test section

  3. A new method for tritium labelling of neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keune, D.

    1981-01-01

    This research work related to the radioactive labelling with tritium of the enzyme neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae by an easily handled method. The reactive compound N-propionyloxysuccinimide, the ester of propionic acid and N-hydroxysuccinimide, offered a suitable labelling reagent. For comparison purposes an already known method of labelling neuraminidase with tritium by the oxidation of hydroxyl groups of the hydrocarbon chain of the enzymal protein and subsequent reduction of the aldehyde groups formed with tritiated sodium borhydride, was also carried out. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are described in detail, in particular with regard to yields of radioactivity and the influence on enzyme activity. The fact that only 1 mg enzymal protein was available for each modification of the enzyme molecule posed particular problems and, as a consequence, extensive preliminary experiments had to be carried with another protein (beef serum album) in the same concentration range. (orig./MG) [de

  4. System support software for TSTA [Tritium Systems Test Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Claborn, G.W.; Mann, L.W.; Nielson, C.W.

    1987-10-01

    The fact that Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) is an experimental facility makes it impossible and undesirable to try to forecast the exact software requirements. Thus the software had to be written in a manner that would allow modifications without compromising the safety requirements imposed by the handling of tritium. This suggested a multi-level approach to the software. In this approach (much like the ISO network model) each level is isolated from the level below and above by cleanly defined interfaces. For example, the subsystem support level interfaces with the subsystem hardware through the software support level. Routines in the software support level provide operations like ''OPEN VALVE'' and CLOSE VALVE'' to the subsystem level. This isolates the subsystem level from the actual hardware. This is advantageous because changes can occur in any level without the need for propagating the change to any other level. The TSTA control system consists of the hardware level, the data conversion level, the operator interface level, and the subsystem process level. These levels are described

  5. 1997 evaluation of tritium removal and mitigation technologies for Hanford Site wastewaters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeppson, D.W.; Biyani, R.K.; Duncan, J.B.; Flyckt, D.L.; Mohondro, P.C.; Sinton, G.L.

    1997-01-01

    This report contains results of a biennial assessment of tritium separation technology and tritium nitration techniques for control of tritium bearing wastewaters at the Hanford Site. Tritium in wastewaters at Hanford have resulted from plutonium production, fuel reprocessing, and waste handling operations since 1944. this assessment was conducted in response to the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order

  6. Tritium inventory tracking and management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eichenberg, T.W.; Klein, A.C.

    1990-01-01

    This investigation has identified a number of useful applications of the analysis of the tracking and management of the tritium inventory in the various subsystems and components in a DT fusion reactor system. Due to the large amounts of tritium that will need to be circulated within such a plant, and the hazards of dealing with the tritium an electricity generating utility may not wish to also be in the tritium production and supply business on a full time basis. Possible scenarios for system operation have been presented, including options with zero net increase in tritium inventory, annual maintenance and blanket replacement, rapid increases in tritium creation for the production of additional tritium supplies for new plant startup, and failures in certain system components. It has been found that the value of the tritium breeding ratio required to stabilize the storage inventory depends strongly on the value and nature of other system characteristics. The real operation of a DT fusion reactor power plant will include maintenance and blanket replacement shutdowns which will affect the operation of the tritium handling system. It was also found that only modest increases in the tritium breeding ratio are needed in order to produce sufficient extra tritium for the startup of new reactors in less than two years. Thus, the continuous operation of a reactor system with a high tritium breeding ratio in order to have sufficient supplies for other plants is not necessary. Lastly, the overall operation and reliability of the power plant is greatly affected by failures in the fuel cleanup and plasma exhaust systems

  7. Lifetime and shelf life of sealed tritium-filled plasma focus chambers with gas generator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B.D. Lemeshko

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes the operation features of plasma focus chambers using deuterium–tritium mixture. Handling tritium requires the use of sealed, vacuum-tight plasma focus chambers. In these chambers, there is an accumulation of the impurity gases released from the inside surfaces of the electrodes and the insulator while moving plasma current sheath inside chambers interacting with β-electrons generated due to the decay of tritium. Decay of tritium is also accompanied by the accumulation of helium. Impurities lead to a decreased yield of neutron emission from plasma focus chambers, especially for long term operation. The paper presents an option of absorption type gas generator in the chamber based on porous titanium, which allows to significantly increase the lifetime and shelf life of tritium chambers. It also shows the results of experiments on the comparison of the operation of sealed plasma focus chambers with and without the gas generator. Keywords: Plasma focus, Neutron yield, Tritium-filled plasma focus chambers, PACS Codes: 29.25.-v, 52.58.Lq

  8. The ITER tritium systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glugla, M.; Antipenkov, A.; Beloglazov, S.; Caldwell-Nichols, C.; Cristescu, I.R.; Cristescu, I.; Day, C.; Doerr, L.; Girard, J.-P.; Tada, E.

    2007-01-01

    ITER is the first fusion machine fully designed for operation with equimolar deuterium-tritium mixtures. The tokamak vessel will be fuelled through gas puffing and pellet injection, and the Neutral Beam heating system will introduce deuterium into the machine. Employing deuterium and tritium as fusion fuel will cause alpha heating of the plasma and will eventually provide energy. Due to the small burn-up fraction in the vacuum vessel a closed deuterium-tritium loop is required, along with all the auxiliary systems necessary for the safe handling of tritium. The ITER inner fuel cycle systems are designed to process considerable and unprecedented deuterium-tritium flow rates with high flexibility and reliability. High decontamination factors for effluent and release streams and low tritium inventories in all systems are needed to minimize chronic and accidental emissions. A multiple barrier concept assures the confinement of tritium within its respective processing components; atmosphere and vent detritiation systems are essential elements in this concept. Not only the interfaces between the primary fuel cycle systems - being procured through different Participant Teams - but also those to confinement systems such as Atmosphere Detritiation or those to fuelling and pumping - again procured through different Participant Teams - and interfaces to buildings are calling for definition and for detailed analysis to assure proper design integration. Considering the complexity of the ITER Tritium Plant configuration management and interface control will be a challenging task

  9. Tritium proof-of-principle injector experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, P.W.; Milora, S.L.; Combs, S.K.; Carlson, R.V.; Coffin, D.O.

    1988-01-01

    The Tritium Proof-of-Principle (TPOP) pellet injector was designed and built by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to evaluate the production and acceleration of tritium pellets for fueling future fision reactors. The injector uses the pipe-gun concept to form pellets directly in a short liquid-helium-cooled section of the barrel. Pellets are accelerated by using high-pressure hydrogen supplied from a fast solenoid valve. A versatile, tritium-compatible gas-handling system provides all of the functions needed to operate the gun, including feed gas pressure control and flow control, plus helium separation and preparation of mixtures. These systems are contained in a glovebox for secondary containment of tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). 18 refs., 3 figs

  10. Conception and operation of a 10 kCi liquid tritium target for the study of tritium nucleus by electron diffusion: 3H(e,e)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juster, F.P.

    1986-06-01

    We describe the conception and operation of an experimental setup, specially suited for the study of the nuclear structure of tritium by elastic electron scattering at intermediate energy. The experiment has been conducted at the ALS 700 MeV electron linac (Saclay, France). The radioactive nature of tritium has led to the design of a new target, suited for handling reliably ten kilocuries of tritium (one gram). The tritium is contained in three sealed envelopes. Initially a high pressure gas (23 bars) at room temperature, the tritium is cooled down to liquefaction by thermal conduction through a solid, without breaking any seal. The beam path and the scattered trajectories cross thin metallic windows. Additional protection, during the presence of personnel, is provided by a heavy container, remotely operated. Any leak in the containement vessels is detected by changes in pressure and/or temperature gauges, monitored by two independent processors. These processors handle the operation of the outer container, the beam switching and the spare venting system. No tritium leak has been detected during a total six-week run. The tritium liquefies in a cylindrical target, 5 cm long and 1 cm in diameter. A beam of 10 microamperes, in the 200-700 MeV, has been measured. The charge and magnetic form factors of tritium have been measured up to a momentum transfer of 31.3 fm -2 [fr

  11. A tritium target system for μCF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zmeskal, J.; Ackerbauer, P.; Durham, W.B.; Heard, H.C.; Neumann, W.; Bossy, H.

    1990-12-01

    An apparatus has been constructed for the safe handling of tritium as part of a series of muon-catalyzed fusion experiments. The equipment was designed to handle 100 kCi of tritium. The main parts of this system are the oil-free high vacuum and transfer system, and the quadrupole mass analyzer for a direct determination of the target content. The system was used successfully for five continuous periods of operation of over one month each. A new target system was constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for ultimate use at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) to investigate the high temperature and high pressure region. 9 refs., 4 figs

  12. Key processes and input parameters for environmental tritium models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bunnenberg, C.; Taschner, M.; Ogram, G.L.

    1994-01-01

    The primary objective of the work reported here is to define key processes and input parameters for mathematical models of environmental tritium behaviour adequate for use in safety analysis and licensing of fusion devices like NET and associated tritium handling facilities. (author). 45 refs., 3 figs

  13. Key processes and input parameters for environmental tritium models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bunnenberg, C; Taschner, M [Niedersaechsisches Inst. fuer Radiooekologie, Hannover (Germany); Ogram, G L [Ontario Hydro, Toronto, ON (Canada)

    1994-12-31

    The primary objective of the work reported here is to define key processes and input parameters for mathematical models of environmental tritium behaviour adequate for use in safety analysis and licensing of fusion devices like NET and associated tritium handling facilities. (author). 45 refs., 3 figs.

  14. Tritium behavior in the Caisson, a simulated fusion reactor room

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Takumi; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Iwai, Yasunori; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi; O'hira, Shigeru; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Shu, Weimin; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Kawamura, Yoshinori; Isobe, Kanetsugu; Konishi, Satoshi; Nishi, Masataka

    2000-01-01

    In order to confirm tritium confinement ability in the deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion reactor, intentional tritium release experiments have been started in a specially fabricated test stand called 'Caisson', at Tritium Process Laboratory in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The Caisson is a stainless steel leak-tight vessel of 12 m 3 , simulating a reactor room or a tritium handling room. In the first stage experiments, about 260 MBq of pure tritium was put into the Caisson under simulated constant ventilation of four times air exchanges per h. The tritium mixing and migration in the Caisson was investigated with tritium contamination measurement and detritiation behavior measurement. The experimental tritium migration and removal behavior was almost perfectly reproduced and could almost be simulated by a three-dimensional flow analysis code

  15. Long Term Tritium Trapping in TFTR and JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skinner, C.H.; Gentile, C.A.; Young, K.M.; Coad, J.P.; Hogan, J.T.; Penzhorn, R.-D.; Bekris, N.

    2001-01-01

    Tritium retention in TFTR [Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor] and JET [Joint European Torus] shows striking similarities and contrasts. In TFTR, 5 g of tritium were injected into circular plasmas over a 3.5 year period, mostly by neutral-beam injection. In JET, 35 g were injected into divertor plasmas over a 6 month campaign, mostly by gas puffing. In TFTR, the bumper limiter provided a large source of eroded carbon and a major part of tritium was co-deposited on the limiter and vessel wall. Only a small area of the co-deposit flaked off. In JET, the wall is a net erosion area, and co-deposition occurs principally in shadowed parts of the inner divertor, with heavy flaking. In both machines, the initial tritium retention, after a change from deuterium [D] to tritium [T] gas puffing, is high and is due to isotope exchange with deuterium on plasma-facing surfaces (dynamic inventory). The contribution of co-deposition is lower but cumulative, and is revealed by including periods of D fueling that reversed the T/D isotope exchange. Ion beam analysis of flakes from TFTR showed an atomic D/C ratio of 0.13 on the plasma facing surface, 0.25 on the back surface and 0.11 in the bulk. Data from a JET divertor tile showed a larger D/C ratio with 46% C, 30% D, 20% H and 4% O. Deuterium, tritium, and beryllium profiles have been measured and show a thin less than 50 micron co-deposited layer. Flakes retrieved from the JET vacuum vessel exhibited a high tritium release rate of 2e10 Bq/month/g. BBQ modeling of the effect of lithium on retention in TFTR showed overlapping lithium and tritium implantation and a 1.3x increase in local T retention

  16. The LLNL portable tritium processing system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1995-01-01

    The end of the Cold War significantly reduced the need for facilities to handle radioactive materials for the US nuclear weapons program. The LLNL Tritium Facility was among those slated for decommissioning. The plans for the facility have since been reversed, and it remains open. Nevertheless, in the early 1990s, the cleanup (the Tritium Inventory Removal Project) was undertaken. However, removing the inventory of tritium within the facility and cleaning up any pockets of high-level residual contamination required that we design a system adequate to the task and meeting today's stringent standards of worker and environmental protection. In collaboration with Sandia National Laboratory and EG ampersand G Mound Applied Technologies, we fabricated a three-module Portable Tritium Processing System (PTPS) that meets current glovebox standards, is operated from a portable console, and is movable from laboratory to laboratory for performing the basic tritium processing operations: pumping and gas transfer, gas analysis, and gas-phase tritium scrubbing. The Tritium Inventory Removal Project is now in its final year, and the portable system continues to be the workhorse. To meet a strong demand for tritium services, the LLNL Tritium Facility will be reconfigured to provide state-of-the-art tritium and radioactive decontamination research and development. The PTPS will play a key role in this new facility

  17. Radiation protection monitoring board of the tritium building at Valduc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herve, J.Y.; Constantin, E.; Cordier, C.; Hudelot, F.

    1990-01-01

    The paper describes briefly the radiation protection in a building where a large amount of tritium is handled. A network of detectors (ionization chambers) gives locally acoustic signals and luminous signals. Data are centralized for tritium management, ventilation and waste disposal [fr

  18. Tritium monitor calibration at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bjork, C.J.; Aikin, D.J.; Houlton, T.W.

    1997-08-01

    Tritium in air is monitored at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) with air breathing instruments based on ionization chambers. Stack emissions are continuously monitored from sample tubes which each connect to a Tritium bubble which differentially collects HTO and HT. A set of glass vials of glycol capture the HTO. The HT is oxidized with a palladium catalyst and the resultant HTO is captured in a second set of vials of glycol. The glycol is counted with a liquid scintillation counter. All calibrations are performed with tritium containing gas. The Radiation Instrumentation and Calibration (RIC) Team has constructed and maintains two closed loop gas handling systems based on femto TECH model U24 tritium ion chamber monitors: a fixed system housed in a fume hood and a portable system mounted on two two wheeled hand trucks. The U24 monitors are calibrated against tritium in nitrogen gas standards. They are used as standard transfer instruments to calibrate other ion chamber monitors with tritium in nitrogen, diluted with air. The gas handling systems include a circulation pump which permits a closed circulation loop to be established among the U24 monitor and typically two to four other monitors of a given model during calibration. Fixed and portable monitors can be calibrated. The stack bubblers are calibrated in the field by: blending a known concentration of tritium in air within the known volume of the two portable carts, coupled into a common loop; releasing that gas mixture into a ventilation intake to the stack; collecting oxidized tritium in the bubbler; counting the glycol; and using the stack and bubbler flow rates, computing the bubbler's efficiency. Gas calibration has become a convenient and quality tool in maintaining the tritium monitors at LANL

  19. Environmental transport and long-term exposure for tritium released in the biosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergman, R.; Bergstroem, U.; Evans, S.

    1979-01-01

    Global cycling of tritium is studied with regard to long-term exposure and dose. Dose and dose commitment are calculated for releases at different latitudes to the troposphere, land and upper ocean layer, with particular regard to effects from release into recipients of intermediate size as, for example, the Baltic Sea. The global transport of tritium appears to be governed by first order kinetics. Compartment models based on linear differential equation systems, as used in this study, should therefore be adequate. The realism and applicability of ecological compartment models are analysed with respect to completeness of the systems of reservoirs and pathways as well as accuracy in assumed reservoir sizes and exchange rates. By introducing different biospheric reservoirs and transfer mechanisms, important carriers and recipients are identified for the analysis of tritium released to air, land and water. Terrestrial biota and groundwater are shown to be significant both with regard to reservoir sizes and influence on the land-troposphere and land-sea exchange of tritium. Model studies regarding the conversion of HT to HTO in different biospheric reservoirs indicate that an atmospheric release of HT may yield up to 1.7 times the dose commitment obtained after release of the same amount of tritium as HTO. The global collective dose commitment from a tropospheric release of tritium is 0.002-0.004 man.rem per Ci depending on the latitude at the release point. Release to the surface ocean layers gives a ten times lower collective dose. (author)

  20. Initial experience of tritium exposure control at JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patel, B.; Campling, D.C.; Schofield, P.A.; Macheta, P.; Sandland, K.

    1998-01-01

    Some of the safety procedures and controls in place for work with tritium are described, and initial operational experience of handling tritium is discussed. A description is given of work to rectify a water leak in a JET neutral beam heating component, which involved man-access to a confined volume to perform repairs, at tritium levels about 100 DAC (80 MBq/m 3 . HTO). Control measures involving use of purge and extract ventilation, and of personal protection using air-fed pressurized suits are described. Results are given of the internal doses to project staff and of atmospheric discharges of tritium during the repair outage. (P.A.)

  1. 78 FR 35743 - Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the General Cull and Handling Regulation for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-14

    ... IR] Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the General Cull and Handling Regulation for.... SUMMARY: This interim rule modifies the size requirements for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2 (order). The order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado...

  2. Tritium and helium-3 in metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lasser, R.

    1989-01-01

    The book surveys recent results on the behaviour of tritium and its decay product helium-3 metals. In contrast to many earlier books which discuss the properties of the stable hydrogen isotopes without mentioning tritium, this book reviews mainly the results on tritium in metals. Due to the difficulties in preparing metal tritide samples, very important quantities such as diffusivity, superconductivity, solubility, etc. have only been determined very recently. The book not only presents the measured tritium data, but also the isotopic dependency of the different physical properties by comparing H, D and T results. A chapter is devoted to helium-3 in metals. Aspects such as helium release, generation of helium bubbles, swelling, and change of the lattice parameter upon aging are discussed. The book provides the reader with up-to-date information and deep insight into the behaviour of H, D, T and He-3 in metals. Further important topics such a tritium production, its risks, handling and discharge to the environment are also addressed

  3. Health Physics aspects of the use of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, E.B.M.

    1982-01-01

    The health physics aspects of the use of tritium in university laboratories and similar establishments are considered. These aspects include discussion on the behaviour and hazards of tritium in the body, derived limits for contamination, monitoring methods, designation of workers, medical and dosimetric supervision, classification of laboratories, safety precautions, accidents and decontamination, and waste disposal. The radiation hazards from some special uses of tritium, e.g. tritium foil sources, luminous devices, gaseous light sources, are also considered. It was concluded that little harm is likely to come from careful handling of tritium labelled compounds at the millicurie level in a research laboratory. It would, however, be most unwise to be complacent about the use of tritium at the curie level, particularly when high specific activities, organic compounds and chronic exposure over long periods are involved. (U.K.)

  4. Tritium in HTR systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steinwarz, W.

    1987-07-01

    Starting from the basis of the radiological properties of tritium, the provisions of present-day radiation protection legislation are discussed in the context of the handling of this radionuclide in HTR plants. Tritium transportation is then followed through from the place of its creation up until the sink, i.e. disposal and/or environmental route, and empirical values obtained in experiments and in plant operation translated into guidelines for plant design and planning. The use of the example of modular HTR plants permits indication that environmental contamination via the 'classical' routes of air and water emissions, and contamination of products, and resulting consumer exposure, are extremely low even on the assumption of extreme conditions. This leads finally to a requirement that the expenditure for implementation of measures for further reduction of tritium activity rates be measured against low radiological effect. (orig.) [de

  5. Maintenance and waste treatment of tritium existing in and out of the fusion reactor systems. 6. Study of tritium confinement in the facility of a fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, Kazuhiro

    2000-01-01

    In a future fusion reactor, tritium confinement is one of the key issues for safety. Large amount of tritium (a few grams to a hundred grams level) has been handled safely at the several facilities in the world for fusion research under the multiple confinement concept. In this chapter, the study of tritium behavior in large space such as the building is described using the Caisson Assembly for Tritium Safety (CATS) study such as the final confinement and the present R and D status concerning the tritium confinement is reviewed. (author)

  6. ITER task title - source term data, modelling, and analysis. ITER subtask no. S81TT05/5 (SEP 1-1). Global tritium source term analysis basis document. Subtask 1: operational tritium effluents and releases. Final report (1995 TASK)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalyanam, K.M.

    1996-06-01

    This document represents the final report for the global tritium source term analysis task initiated in 1995. The report presents a room-by-room map/table at the subsystem level for the ITER tritium systems, identifying the major equipment, secondary containments, tritium release sources, duration/frequency of tritium releases and the release pathways. The chronic tritium releases during normal operation, as well as tritium releases due to routine maintenance of the Water Distillation Unit, Isotope Separation System and Primary and Secondary Heat Transport Systems, have been estimated for most of the subsystems, based on the IDR design, the Design Description Documents (April - Jun 1995 issues) and the design updates up to December 1995. The report also outlines the methodology and the key assumptions that are adopted in preparing the tritium release estimates. The design parameters for the ITER Basic Performance Phase (BPP) have been used in estimating the tritium releases shown in the room-by-room map/table. The tritium release calculations and the room-by-room map/table have been prepared in EXCEL, so that the estimates can be refined easily as the design evolves and more detailed information becomes available. (author). 23 refs., tabs

  7. Tritium behavior intentionally released in the room

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, K.; Hayashi, T.; Iwai, Y.; Yamanishi, T.; Willms, R. S.; Carlson, R. V.

    2008-01-01

    To construct a fusion reactor with high safety and acceptability, it is necessary to establish and to ensure tritium safe handling technology. Tritium should be well-controlled not to be released to the environment excessively and to prevent workers from excess exposure. It is especially important to grasp tritium behavior in the final confinement area, such as the room and/or building. In order to obtain data for actual tritium behavior in a room and/or building, a series of intentional Tritium Release Experiments (TREs) were planned and carried out within a radiologically controlled area (main cell) at Tritium System Test Assembly (TSTA) in Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) under US-JAPAN collaboration program. These experiments were carried out three times. In these experiments, influence of a difference in the tritium release point and the amount of hydrogen isotope for the initial tritium behavior in the room were suggested. Tritium was released into the main cell at TSTA/LANL. The released tritium reached a uniform concentration about 30 - 40 minutes in all the experiments. The influence of the release point and the amount of hydrogen isotope were not found to be important in these experiments. The experimental results for the initial tritium behavior in the room were also simulated well by the modified three-dimensional eddy flow analysis code FLOW-3D. (authors)

  8. 78 FR 23829 - Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-23

    ... FIR] Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2 AGENCY... the grade requirements for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2. The..., red- skinned potatoes handled under the marketing order from U.S. No. 1 to U.S. Commercial. This...

  9. 78 FR 3 - Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-02

    ...; FV12-948-1 IR] Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2...: This rule modifies the grade requirements for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2 (order). The order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado and is...

  10. Two investigations concerning the release of tritium. I. Tritium leakage from 3H(Sc) EC-detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergman, C.; Wesslen, E.

    1977-01-01

    Recently the manufacturers of EC-detectors for gas chromatographs introduced a new type of 3 H EC-detector where the tritium is bound to scandium instead of to titanium and has an activity up to 1 Ci. It is expected that the scandium-based detector will take a great part of the Swedish EC-detector market. The Swedish National Institute of Radiation Protection is anxious to make sure that the introduction of the new detector, which will be used at higher temperature, will not give rise to any increased risk of tritium intake to the personnel handling the chromatographs. The leakage of tritium from commercially available 3 H(Sc) EC-detectors containing 1 Ci of tritium was measured as a function of the detector temperature. Tritium appears both in the form of tritium gas dissolved in the scandium and in the form of tritide. The gas evaporates rather easily with increasing temperature while the dissociation of the tritide is a slower process. The evaporation of tritium due to the dissociation of the tritide was found to be negligible, less than 0.2 μCi/h at temperatures less than 100 0 C, but rises rapidly with temperature. The study also showed that even when the detector is stored at room temperature, a re-distribution of the tritium occures, from the tritide to the dissolved tritium gas, which then easily evaporates even at moderately elevated temperatures

  11. Using the Tritium Plasma Experiment to evaluate ITER PFC safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longhurst, G.R.; Anderl, R.A.; Bartlit, J.R.; Causey, R.A.; Haines, J.R.

    1993-01-01

    The Tritium Plasma Experiment was assembled at Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore to investigate interactions between dense plasmas at low energies and plasma-facing component materials. This apparatus has the unique capability of replicating plasma conditions in a tokamak divertor with particle flux densities of 2 x 10 19 ions/cm 2 · s and a plasma temperature of about 15 eV using a plasma that includes tritium. With the closure of the Tritium Research Laboratory at Livermore, the experiment was moved to the Tritium Systems Test Assembly facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. An experimental program has been initiated there using the Tritium Plasma Experiment to examine safety issues related to tritium in plasma-facing components, particularly the ITER divertor. Those issues include tritium retention and release characteristics, tritium permeation rates and transient times to coolant streams, surface modification and erosion by the plasma, the effects of thermal loads and cycling, and particulate production. A considerable lack of data exists in these areas for many of the materials, especially beryllium, being considered for use in ITER. Not only will basic material behavior with respect to safety issues in the divertor environment be examined, but innovative techniques for optimizing performance with respect to tritium safety by material modification and process control will be investigated. Supplementary experiments will be carried out at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory to expand and clarify results obtained on the Tritium Plasma Experiment

  12. Tritium trick

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, W. V.; Zukas, E. G.; Eash, D. T.

    1971-01-01

    Large controlled amounts of helium in uniform concentration in thick samples can be obtained through the radioactive decay of dissolved tritium gas to He3. The term, tritium trick, applies to the case when helium, added by this method, is used to simulate (n,alpha) production of helium in simulated hard flux radiation damage studies.

  13. Gaseous Tritium Light Sources in armament and watches industries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amme, Marcus; Siegenthaler, Roger

    2015-01-01

    The industrial application of Tritium gas enclosed in glass tubes is a modern way illuminating instruments and items wherever instant and independent readability is prerequisite. The GTLS (Gaseous Tritium Light Sources) technology follows the principle of radiation-induced luminescence and supersedes the luminous radioactive paints and their hazards such as particles erasure or heavy isotope use. Enclosure of tritium in glass is a demanding micro technology process and work needs to be performed in controlled areas due to handling of open sources. The storage and transport of the Tritium is done via licensed B(U)-containers coming from heavy water reactor sites, and disposal of radioactive Tritium wastes has to be compliant with national and international regulations for transport and waste management.

  14. Tritium inventory and recovery in next-step fusion devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Causey, R.A.; Brooks, J.N.; Federici, G.

    2002-01-01

    Future fusion devices will use tritium and deuterium fuel. Because tritium is both radioactive and expensive, it is absolutely necessary that there be an understanding of the tritium retention characteristics of the materials used in these devices as well as how to recover the tritium. There are three materials that are strong candidates for plasma-facing-material use in next-step fusion devices. These are beryllium, tungsten, and carbon. While beryllium has the disadvantage of high sputtering and low melting point (which limits its power handling capabilities in divertor areas), it has the advantages of being a low-Z material with a good thermal conductivity and the ability to get oxygen from the plasma. Due to beryllium's very low solubility for hydrogen, implantation of beryllium with deuterium and tritium results in a saturated layer in the very near-surface with limited inventory (J. Nucl. Mater. 273 (1999) 1). Unfortunately, there are nuclear reactions generated by neutrons that will breed tritium and helium in the material bulk (J. Nucl. Mater. 179 (1991) 329). This process will lead to a substantial tritium inventory in the bulk of the beryllium after long-term neutron exposure (i.e. well beyond the operation life time of a next-step reactor like ITER). Tungsten is a high-Z material that will be used in the divertor region of next-step devices (e.g. ITER) and possibly as a first wall material in later devices. The divertor is the preferred location for tungsten use because net erosion is very low there due to low sputtering and high redeposition. While experiments are still continuing on tritium retention in tungsten, present data suggest that relatively low tritium inventories will result with this material (J. Nucl. Mater. 290-293 (2001) 505). For tritium inventories, carbon is the problem material. Neutron damage to the graphite can result in substantial bulk tritium retention (J. Nucl. Mater. 191-194 (1992) 368), and codeposition of the sputtered carbon

  15. Modification and testing of the Sandia Laboratories Livermore tritium decontamination systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gildea, P.D.; Birnbaum, H.G.; Wall, W.R.

    1978-08-01

    Sandia Laboratories, Livermore, has put into operation a new facility, the Tritium Research Laboratory. The laboratory incorporates containment and cleanup facilities such that any tritium accidentally released is captured rather than vented to the atmosphere. This containment is achieved with hermetically sealed glove boxes that are connected on demand by manifolds to two central decontamination systems called the Gas Purification System (GPS) and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System (VERS). The primary function of the GPS is to remove tritium and tritiated water vapor from the glove box atmosphere. The primary function of the VERS is to decontaminate the gas exhausted from the glove box pressure control systems and vacuum pumps in the building before venting the gas to the stack. Both of these systems are designed to remove tritium to the few parts per billion range. Acceptance tests at the manufacturer's plant and preoperational testing at Livermore demonstrated that the systems met their design specifications. After preoperational testing the Gas Purification System was modified to enhance the safety of maintanance operations. Both the Gas Purification System and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System were performance tested with tritium. Results show that concentraion reduction factors (ratio of inlet to exhaust concentrations) much in excess of 1000 per pass have been achieved for both systems at inlet concentrations of 1 ppM or less

  16. Modification and testing of the Sandia Laboratories Livermore tritium decontamination systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gildea, P.D.; Birnbaum, H.G.; Wall, W.R.

    1979-01-01

    Sandia Laboratories, Livermore, has put into operation a new facility, the Tritium Research Laboratory. The laboratory incorporates containment and cleanup facilities such that any tritium accidentally released is captured rather than vented to the atmosphere. This containment is achieved with hermetically sealed glove boxes that are connected on demand by manifolds to two central decontamination systems called the Gas Purification System (GPS) and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System (VERS). The primary function of the GPS is to remove tritium and tritiated water vapor from the glove box atmosphere. The primary function of the VERS is to decontaminate the gas exhausted from the glove box pressure control systems and vacuum pumps in the building before venting the gas to the stack. Both of these systems are designed to remove tritium to the few parts per billion range. Acceptance tests at the manufacturer's plant and preoperational testing at Livermore demonstrated that the systems met their design specifications. After preoperational testing the Gas Purification System was modified to enhance the safety of maintanance operations. Both the Gas Purification System and the Vacuum Effluent Recovery System were performance tested with tritium. Results show that concentration reduction factors (ratio of inlet to exhaust concentrations) much in excess of 1000 per pass have been achieved for both systems at inlet concentrations of 1 ppM or less

  17. Tritium systems test assembly stabilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jasen, William G.; Michelotti, Roy A.; Anast, Kurt R.; Tesch, Charles

    2004-01-01

    The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) was a facility dedicated to tritium technology Research and Development (R and D) primarily for future fusion power reactors. The facility was conceived in mid 1970's, operations commenced in early 1980's, stabilization and deactivation began in 2000 and were completed in 2003. The facility will remain in a Surveillance and Maintenance (S and M) mode until the Department of Energy (DOE) funds demolition of the facility, tentatively in 2009. A safe and stable end state was achieved by the TSTA Facility Stabilization Project (TFSP) in anticipation of long term S and M. At the start of the stabilization project, with an inventory of approximately 140 grams of tritium, the facility was designated a Hazard Category (HC) 2 Non-Reactor Nuclear facility as defined by US Department of Energy standard DOE-STD-1027-92 (1997). The TSTA facility comprises a laboratory area, supporting rooms, offices and associated laboratory space that included more than 20 major tritium handling systems. The project's focus was to reduce the tritium inventory by removing bulk tritium, tritiated water wastes, and tritium-contaminated high-inventory components. Any equipment that remained in the facility was stabilized in place. All of the gloveboxes and piping were rendered inoperative and vented to atmosphere. All equipment, and inventoried tritium contamination, remaining in the facility was left in a safe-and-stable state. The project used the End Points process as defined by the DOE Office of Environmental Management (web page http://www.em.doe.- gov/deact/epman.htmtlo) document and define the end state required for the stabilization of TSTA Facility. The End Points process added structure that was beneficial through virtually all phases of the project. At completion of the facility stabilization project the residual tritium inventory was approximately 3,000 curies, considerably less than the 1.6-gram threshold for a HC 3 facility. TSTA is now

  18. Tritium-management requirements for D-T fusion reactors (ETF, INTOR, FED)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finn, P.A.; Clemmer, R.G.; Misra, B.

    1981-10-01

    The successful operation of D-T fusion reactors will depend on the development of safe and reliable tritium-containment and fuel-recycle systems. The tritium handling requirements for D-T reactors were analyzed. The reactor facility was then designed from the viewpoint of tritium management. Recovery scenarios after a tritium release were generated to show the relative importance of various scenarios. A fusion-reactor tritium facility was designed which would be appropriate for all types of plants from the Engineering Test Facility (ETF), the International Tokamak Reactor (INTOR), and the Fusion Engineering Device (FED) to the full-scale power plant epitomized by the STARFIRE design

  19. The nucleic acid metabolism in rat liver after single and long-term administration of tritium oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shorokhova, V.B.

    1984-01-01

    It was shown that after a single administration of tritiUm oxide in a dose of 22.2 MBq/g body mass the liver mass increased, the concentration of nucleic acids decreased and the biosynthesjs rate increased dUring a one-month observation. By the end of the observation period (the first year) the parameters under study were normalized. The long-term administration of tritium oxide in daily doses of 0.37, 0.925 and 1.85 MBq/g body mass caused changes in the nucleac acid metabolism which were less manifest (at early times), than in the case of a single injection. At the same time, the long-term administration of tritium oxide in the dose of 0.925 MBq/g caused a substantial disturbance of the nucleic acid metabolism at later times (after 2-9 months)

  20. Tritium release experiments with CATS and numerical simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munakata, Kenzo; Wajima, Takaaki; Hara, Keisuke; Wada, Kohei; Takeishi, Toshiharu; Shinozaki, Yohei; Mochizuki, Kazuhiro; Katekari, Kenichi; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Iwai, Yasunori; Hayashi, Takumi; Yamanishi, Toshihiko

    2010-01-01

    In D-T fusion power plants, large amounts of tritium would be handled. Tritium is the radioisotope of protium, and is easily taken into the human body, and thus the behavior of tritium accidentally released in fusion power plants should be studied for the safety design and radioprotection of workers. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the behavior of tritium released into large rooms with objectives, since complex flow fields should exist in such rooms and they could influence the ventilation of the air containing released tritium. Thus, tritium release experiments were conducted using Caisson Assembly for Tritium Safety Study (CATS) in TPL/JAEA. Some data were taken for tritium behavior in the ventilated area and response of tritium monitors. In the experiments, approximately 17 GBq of tritium was released into Caisson with the total volume of 12 m 3 , and the room was ventilated at the rate of 12 m 3 /h after release of tritium. It was found that placement of an objective in the vessel substantially affects decontamination efficiency. With regard to an experimental result, numerical calculation was performed and the experimental result and the result of numerical calculation were compared, which indicates that experimental results are qualitatively reproduced by numerical calculation. However, further R and D needs to be carried out for quantitative reproduction of the experimental results.

  1. Tritium release experiments with CATS and numerical simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Munakata, Kenzo, E-mail: kenzo@gipc.akita-u.ac.jp [Faculty of Engineering and Resource Sciences, Akita University, Tegata-gakuen-cho 1-1, Akita 010-8502 (Japan); Wajima, Takaaki; Hara, Keisuke; Wada, Kohei [Faculty of Engineering and Resource Sciences, Akita University, Tegata-gakuen-cho 1-1, Akita 010-8502 (Japan); Takeishi, Toshiharu; Shinozaki, Yohei; Mochizuki, Kazuhiro; Katekari, Kenichi [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Science, Kyushu University, Hakozaki 6-10-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Iwai, Yasunori; Hayashi, Takumi; Yamanishi, Toshihiko [Tritium Technology Group, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

    2010-12-15

    In D-T fusion power plants, large amounts of tritium would be handled. Tritium is the radioisotope of protium, and is easily taken into the human body, and thus the behavior of tritium accidentally released in fusion power plants should be studied for the safety design and radioprotection of workers. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the behavior of tritium released into large rooms with objectives, since complex flow fields should exist in such rooms and they could influence the ventilation of the air containing released tritium. Thus, tritium release experiments were conducted using Caisson Assembly for Tritium Safety Study (CATS) in TPL/JAEA. Some data were taken for tritium behavior in the ventilated area and response of tritium monitors. In the experiments, approximately 17 GBq of tritium was released into Caisson with the total volume of 12 m{sup 3}, and the room was ventilated at the rate of 12 m{sup 3}/h after release of tritium. It was found that placement of an objective in the vessel substantially affects decontamination efficiency. With regard to an experimental result, numerical calculation was performed and the experimental result and the result of numerical calculation were compared, which indicates that experimental results are qualitatively reproduced by numerical calculation. However, further R and D needs to be carried out for quantitative reproduction of the experimental results.

  2. Pebble fabrication and tritium release properties of an advanced tritium breeder

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoshino, Tsuyoshi, E-mail: hoshino.tsuyoshi@jaea.go.jp [Breeding Functional Materials Development Group, Department of Blanket Systems Research, Rokkasho Fusion Institute, Sector of Fusion Research and Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166 Obuch, Omotedate, Rokkasho-mura, Kamikita-gun, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan); Edao, Yuki [Tritium Technology Group, Department of Blanket Systems Research, Rokkasho Fusion Institute, Sector of Fusion Research and Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata, Shirane, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Kawamura, Yoshinori [Blanket Technology Group, Department of Blanket Systems Research, Rokkasho Fusion Institute, Sector of Fusion Research and Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 801-1 Mukoyama, Naka, Ibaraki 311-0193 (Japan); Ochiai, Kentaro [BA Project Coordination Group, Department of Fusion Power Systems Research, Rokkasho Fusion Institute, Sector of Fusion Research and Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166 Obuch, Omotedate, Rokkasho-mura, Kamikita-gun, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} with excess Li (Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y}) pebble as an advanced tritium breeders was fabricated using emulsion method. • Grain size of Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles was controlled to be less than 5 μm. • Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles exhibited good tritium release properties similar to that of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebbles. - Abstract: Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} with excess Li (Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y}) has been developed as an advanced tritium breeder. With respect to the tritium release characteristics of the blanket, the optimum grain size after sintering was less than 5 μm. Therefore, an emulsion method was developed to fabricate pebbles with this target grain size. The predominant factor affecting grain growth was assumed to be the presence of binder in the gel particles; this remaining binder was hypothesized to react with the excess Li, thereby generating Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, which promotes grain growth. To inhibit the generation of Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, calcined Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles were sintered under vacuum and subsequently under a 1% H{sub 2}–He atmosphere. The average grain size of the sintered Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles was less than 5 μm. Furthermore, the tritium release properties of Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles were evaluated, and deuterium–tritium (DT) neutron irradiation experiments were performed at the Fusion Neutronics Source facility in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To remove the tritium produced by neutron irradiation, 1% H{sub 2}–He purge gas was passed through the Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles. The Li{sub 2+x}TiO{sub 3+y} pebbles exhibited good tritium release properties, similar to those of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} pebbles. In particular, the released amount of tritiated hydrogen gas for easier tritium handling was greater than the released amount of tritiated water.

  3. Tritium management in fusion synfuel designs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galloway, T.R.

    1980-01-01

    Two blanket types are being studied: a lithium-sodium pool boiler and a lithium-oxide- or lithium-sodium pool boiler and a lithium-oxide- or aluminate-microsphere moving bed. For each, a wide variety of current technology was considered in handling the tritium. Here, we show the pool boiler with the sulfur-iodine thermochemical cycle first developed and now being piloted by the General Atomic Company. The tritium (T 2 ) will be generated in the lithium-sodium mixture where the concentration is approx. 10 ppM and held constant by a scavenging system consisting mainly of permeators. An intermediate sodium loop carries the blanket heat to the thermochemical cycle, and the T 2 in this loop is held to 1 ppM by a similar scavenging system. With this design, we have maintained blanket inventory at 1 kg of tritium, kept thermochemical cycle losses to 5 Ci/d and environmental loss to 10 Ci/d, and held total plant risk inventory at 7 kg tritium

  4. Organically bound tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diabate, S.; Strack, S.

    1993-01-01

    Tritium released into the environment may be incorporated into organic matter. Organically bound tritium in that case will show retention times in organisms that are considerably longer than those of tritiated water which has significant consequences on dose estimates. This article reviews the most important processes of organically bound tritium production and transport through food networks. Metabolic reactions in plant and animal organisms with tritiated water as a reaction partner are of great importance in this respect. The most important production process, in quantitative terms, is photosynthesis in green plants. The translocation of organically bound tritium from the leaves to edible parts of crop plants should be considered in models of organically bound tritium behavior. Organically bound tritium enters the human body on several pathways, either from the primary producers (vegetable food) or at a higher tropic level (animal food). Animal experiments have shown that the dose due to ingestion of organically bound tritium can be up to twice as high as a comparable intake of tritiated water in gaseous or liquid form. In the environment, organically bound tritium in plants and animals is often found to have higher specific tritium concentrations than tissue water. This is not due to some tritium enrichment effects but to the fact that no equilibrium conditions are reached under natural conditions. 66 refs

  5. Behaviour of tritium in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    of luminous commercial products which are discharged as municipal wastes. The main subject considered during the symposium was tritium in the aquatic and terrestrial environment. Several reports were presented by the members of an IAEA co-ordinated research programme on the behaviour of tritium in different types of ecosystems. They gave information on the residence time, pattern of movement, distribution of tritium in typical ecosystems, its incorporation into biological compounds and its transfer along food chains in order to determine the biological significance of this radionuclide in various climatic conditions and ecosystems. Tritium in man and mammals was also considered with emphasis on specific (DNA, mutations) and long term studies The contribution of the long term component in tritium elimination to the dose has been judged as very important. The conclusion which can be drawn from the symposium is that although tritium limits for man are high, good control of tritium discharges is necessary not only in the nuclear industry but also in other types of industries. Further knowledge is also necessary to understand the incorporation of tritium in biological compounds, especially nucleic acids. Long term studies are also necessary to investigate the long term components in tritium elimination by man and other mammals. (author)

  6. 75 FR 3333 - Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-21

    ... FR] Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 2 AGENCY... requirement under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2. The marketing order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado, and is administered locally by the Colorado Potato...

  7. Tritium accountancy in fusion systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klein, J.E.; Clark, E.A.; Harvel, C.D.; Farmer, D.A.; Tovo, L.L.; Poore, A.S. [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC (United States); Moore, M.L. [Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, SC (United States)

    2015-03-15

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) has clearly defined requirements for nuclear material control and accountability (MCA) of tritium whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not since tritium is not a fissile material. MCA requirements are expected for tritium fusion machines and will be dictated by the host country or regulatory body where the machine is operated. Material Balance Areas (MBA) are defined to aid in the tracking and reporting of nuclear material movements and inventories. Material sub-accounts (MSA) are established along with key measurement points (KMP) to further subdivide a MBA to localize and minimize uncertainties in the inventory difference (ID) calculations for tritium accountancy. Fusion systems try to minimize tritium inventory which may require continuous movement of material through the MSA. The ability of making meaningful measurements of these material transfers is described in terms of establishing the MSA structure to perform and reconcile ID calculations. For fusion machines, changes to the traditional ID equation will be discussed which includes breeding, burn-up, and retention of tritium in the fusion device. The concept of 'net' tritium quantities consumed or lost in fusion devices is described in terms of inventory taking strategies and how it is used to track the accumulation of tritium in components or fusion machines. (authors)

  8. A system dynamics model for tritium cycle of pulsed fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Zuolong; Nie, Baojie; Chen, Dehong

    2017-01-01

    As great challenges and uncertainty exist in achieving steady plasma burning, pulsed plasma burning may be a potential scenario for fusion engineering test reactor, even for fusion DEMOnstration reactor. In order to analyze dynamic tritium inventory and tritium self-sufficiency for pulsed fusion systems, a system dynamics model of tritium cycle was developed on the basis of earlier version of Tritium Analysis program for fusion System (TAS). The model was verified with TRIMO, which was developed by KIT in Germany. Tritium self-sufficiency and dynamic tritium inventory assessment were performed for a typical fusion engineering test reactor. The verification results show that the system dynamics model can be used for tritium cycle analysis of pulsed fusion reactor with sufficient reliability. The assessment results of tritium self-sufficiency indicate that the fusion reactor might only need several hundred gram tritium to startup if achieved high efficient tritium handling ability (Referred ITER: 1 h). And the initial tritium startup inventory in pulsed fusion reactor is determined by the combined influence of pulse length, burn availability, and tritium recycle time. Meanwhile, tritium self-sufficiency can be achieved under the defined condition.

  9. A system dynamics model for tritium cycle of pulsed fusion reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Zuolong; Nie, Baojie [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027 (China); Chen, Dehong, E-mail: dehong.chen@fds.org.cn [Key Laboratory of Neutronics and Radiation Safety, Institute of Nuclear Energy Safety Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031 (China)

    2017-05-15

    As great challenges and uncertainty exist in achieving steady plasma burning, pulsed plasma burning may be a potential scenario for fusion engineering test reactor, even for fusion DEMOnstration reactor. In order to analyze dynamic tritium inventory and tritium self-sufficiency for pulsed fusion systems, a system dynamics model of tritium cycle was developed on the basis of earlier version of Tritium Analysis program for fusion System (TAS). The model was verified with TRIMO, which was developed by KIT in Germany. Tritium self-sufficiency and dynamic tritium inventory assessment were performed for a typical fusion engineering test reactor. The verification results show that the system dynamics model can be used for tritium cycle analysis of pulsed fusion reactor with sufficient reliability. The assessment results of tritium self-sufficiency indicate that the fusion reactor might only need several hundred gram tritium to startup if achieved high efficient tritium handling ability (Referred ITER: 1 h). And the initial tritium startup inventory in pulsed fusion reactor is determined by the combined influence of pulse length, burn availability, and tritium recycle time. Meanwhile, tritium self-sufficiency can be achieved under the defined condition.

  10. TSTA loop operation with 100 grams-level of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Hiroshi; Hirata, Shingo; Naito, Taisei

    1988-10-01

    The first loop operation tests of Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) with 100 grams-level of tritium were carried out at Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL) on June and July, 1987. The tests were one of the milestones for TSTA goal scheduled in June, 1987 through June, 1988. The objectives were (i) to operate TSTA process loop composed of tritium supply system, fuel gas purification system, hydrogen isotope separation system, etc, (ii) to demonstrate TSTA safety subsystems such as secondary containment system, tritium waste treatment system and tritium monitoring system, and (iii) to accumulate handling experience of a large amount of tritium. This report describes the plan and procedures of the milestone run done in June and the summary results especially on the safety aspects. Analysis of the emergency shutdown of the process loop, which happened in the June run, is also reported. A brief description of the process and safety subsystems as well as the summary of the TSTA safety analysis report is included. (author)

  11. Tritium release from lithium ceramics at constant temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verrall, R.A.; Miller, J.M.

    1992-02-01

    Analytic methods for post-irradiation annealing tests to measure tritium release from lithium ceramics at constant temperature are examined. Modifications to the Bertone (1) relations for distinguishing diffusion-controlled release from desorption-controlled release are shown. The methods are applied to tests on sintered LiA10 2 ; first-order desorption is shown to control tritium release for these tests

  12. Organic tritium in freshwater ecosystems: long-term trends in the environment of French nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gontier, G.; Siclet, F.

    2011-01-01

    From 1977 to 2009, more than 600 measurements of organic tritium were performed on fish, aquatic plants and sediments upstream and downstream of the 15 French NPP located along rivers. Examination of the results shows that organic tritium activities have exponentially decreased over the last thirty years, in all components of aquatic ecosystems. Upstream of all NPP, OBT levels in sediments are higher than in plants and fish, themselves larger than HTO in surface water. The magnitude of these differences and the long-term trends depend on the river basin and can be explained by the varying nature of tritium sources. In river catchment, where atmospheric test fallout is the main source of tritium, the observed levels result from the exposure of aquatic organisms to two distinct tritium pools of different ages: atmospheric tritiated water (representing present fallout), and organic tritium from soils (formed over several decades) which supplies particulate matter to surface waters. In the Rhone and Rhine river basins, an additional source of organic tritium of very low bio-availability, probably originating from the luminescent paint industry, is responsible for the spiking of sediment organic matter up to 100 to 100 000 Bq.L -1 combustion water. The comparison of upstream and downstream NPP tritium levels shows that the influence of tritium discharges is detectable only in rivers, with low background OBT activities, i.e in basins other than the Rhone and Rhine. The observed increase in plant and fish OBT is lower than the added HTO activity in water due to discharge, which supports the absence of bioaccumulation for tritium originating from HTO and the absence of highly bio-available tritiated organic molecules in NPP discharges. (authors)

  13. Improved iodine and tritium control in reprocessing plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henrich, E.; Schmieder, H.; Roesch, W.; Weirich, F.

    1981-01-01

    During spent fuel processing, iodine and tritium are distributed in many aqueous, organic and gaseous process streams, which complicates their control. Small modifications of conventional purex flow sheets, compatible with processing in the headend and the first extraction cycle are necessary to confine the iodine and the tritium to smaller plant areas. The plant area connected to the dissolver off-gas (DOG) system is suited to confine the iodine and the plant area connected to the first aqueous cycle is suited to confine the tritium. A more clear and convenient iodine and tritium control will be achieved. Relevant process steps have been studied on a lab or a pilot plant scale using I-123 and H-3 tracer

  14. Evaluation of selected ex-reactor accidents related to the tritium and medical isotope production mission at the FFTF

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Himes, D.A.

    1997-11-17

    The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) has been proposed as a production facility for tritium and medical isotopes. A range of postulated accidents related to ex-reactor irradiated fuel and target handling were identified and evaluated using new source terms for the higher fuel enrichment and for the tritium and medical isotope targets. In addition, two in-containment sodium spill accidents were re-evaluated to estimate effects of increased fuel enrichment and the presence of the Rapid Retrieval System. Radiological and toxicological consequences of the analyzed accidents were found to be well within applicable risk guidelines.

  15. Tritium pellet injector for TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gouge, M.J.; Baylor, L.R.; Cole, M.J.; Combs, S.K.; Dyer, G.R.; Fehling, D.T.; Fisher, P.W.; Foust, C.R.; Langley, R.A.; Milora, S.L.; Qualls, A.L.; Wilgen, J.B.; Schmidt, G.L.; Barnes, G.W.; Persing, R.G.

    1992-01-01

    The tritium pellet injector (TPI) for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) will provide a tritium pellet fueling capability with pellet speeds in the 1- to 3-km/s range for the TFTR deuterium-tritium (D-T) phase. The existing TFTR deuterium pellet injector (DPI) has been modified at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide a four-shot, tritium-compatible, pipe-gun configuration with three upgraded single-stage pneumatic guns and a two-stage light gas gun driver. The TPI was designed to provide pellets ranging from 3.3 to 4.5 mm in diameter in arbitrarily programmable firing sequences at speeds up to approximately 1.5 km/s for the three single-stage drivers and 2.5 to 3 km/s for the two-stage driver. Injector operation is controlled by a programmable logic controller. The new pipe-gun injector assembly was installed in the modified DPI guard vacuum box, and modifications were made to the internals of the DPI vacuum injection line, including a new pellet diagnostics package. Assembly of these modified parts with existing DPI components was then completed, and the TPI was tested at ORNL with deuterium pellet. Results of the limited testing program at ORNL are described. The TPI is being installed on TFTR to support the D-D run period in 1992. In 1993, the tritium pellet injector will be retrofitted with a D-T fuel manifold and secondary tritium containment systems and integrated into TFTR tritium processing systems to provide full tritium pellet capability

  16. 78 FR 70191 - Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the General Cull and Handling Regulation for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-25

    ...-FV-13-0001; FV13-948-1 FIR] Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the General Cull and..., without change, an interim rule that modified the size requirements for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2 (order). The order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes...

  17. Tritium effluent removal system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamberger, P.H.; Gibbs, G.E.

    1978-01-01

    An air detritiation system has been developed and is in routine use for removing tritium and tritiated compounds from glovebox effluent streams before they are released to the atmosphere. The system is also used, in combination with temporary enclosures, to contain and decontaminate airborne releases resulting from the opening of tritium containment systems during maintenance and repair operations. This detritiation system, which services all the tritium handling areas at Mound Facility, has played an important role in reducing effluents and maintaining them at 2 percent of the level of 8 y ago. The system has a capacity of 1.7 m 3 /min and has operated around the clock for several years. A refrigerated in-line filtration system removes water, mercury, or pump oil and other organics from gaseous waste streams. The filtered waste stream is then heated and passed through two different types of oxidizing beds; the resulting tritiated water is collected on molecular sieve dryer beds. Liquids obtained from regenerating the dryers and from the refrigerated filtration system are collected and transferred to a waste solidification and packaging station. Component redundancy and by-pass capabilities ensure uninterrupted system operation during maintenance. When processing capacity is exceeded, an evacuated storage tank of 45 m 3 is automatically opened to the inlet side of the system. The gaseous effluent from the system is monitored for tritium content and recycled or released directly to the stack. The average release is less than 1 Ci/day. The tritium effluent can be reduced by isotopically swamping the tritium; this is accomplished by adding hydrogen prior to the oxidizer beds, or by adding water to the stream between the two final dryer beds

  18. Tritium contamination of hematopoietic stem cells alters long-term hematopoietic reconstitution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Di Giacomo, F.; Barroca, V.; Laurent, D.; Lewandowski, D.; Saintigny, Y.; Romeo, P.H.; Granotier, Ch.; Boussin, F.D.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: In vivo effects of tritium contamination are poorly documented. Here, we study the effects of tritiated Thymidine ([ 3 H] Thymidine) or tritiated water (HTO) contamination on the biological properties of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). Materials and methods: Mouse HSC were contaminated with concentrations of [ 3 H] Thymidine ranging from 0.37-37.03 kBq/ml or of HTO ranging from 5-50 kBq/ml. The biological properties of contaminated HSC were studied in vitro after HTO contamination and in vitro and in vivo after [ 3 H] Thymidine contamination. Results: Proliferation, viability and double-strand breaks were dependent on [ 3 H] Thymidine or HTO concentrations used for contamination but in vitro myeloid differentiation of HSC was not affected by [ 3 H] Thymidine contamination. [ 3 H] Thymidine contaminated HSC showed a compromised long-term capacity of hematopoietic reconstitution and competition experiments showed an up to two-fold decreased capacity of contaminated HSC to reconstitute hematopoiesis. These defects were not due to impaired homing in bone marrow but to an initial decreased proliferation rate of HSC. Conclusion: These results indicate that contaminations of HSC with doses of tritium that do not result in cell death, induce short-term effects on proliferation and cell cycle and long-term effects on hematopoietic reconstitution capacity of contaminated HSC. (authors)

  19. Tritium Systems Test Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cafasso, F.A.; Maroni, V.A.; Smith, W.H.; Wilkes, W.R.; Wittenberg, L.J.

    1978-01-01

    This TSTF proposal has two principal objectives. The first objective is to provide by mid-FY 1981 a demonstration of the fuel cycle and tritium containment systems which could be used in a Tokamak Experimental Power Reactor for operation in the mid-1980's. The second objective is to provide a capability for further optimization of tritium fuel cycle and environmental control systems beyond that which is required for the EPR. The scale and flow rates in TSTF are close to those which have been projected for a prototype experimental power reactor (PEPR/ITR) and will permit reliable extrapolation to the conditions found in an EPR. The fuel concentrations will be the same as in an EPR. Demonstrations of individual components of the deuterium-tritium fuel cycle and of monitoring, accountability and containment systems and of a maintenance methodology will be achieved at various times in the FY 1979-80 time span. Subsequent to the individual component demonstrations--which will proceed from tests with hydrogen (and/or deuterium) through tracer levels of tritium to full operational concentrations--a complete test and demonstration of the integrated fuel processing and tritium containment facility will be performed. This will occur near the middle of FY 1981. Two options were considered for the TSTF: (1) The modification of an existing building and (2) the construction of a new facility

  20. Tritium management in fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galloway, T.R.

    1978-05-01

    This is a review paper covering the key environmental and safety issues and how they have been handled in the various magnetic and inertial confinement concepts and reference designs. The issues treated include: tritium accident analyses, tritium process control, occupational safety, HTO formation rate from the gas-phase, disposal of tritium contaminated wastes, and environmental impact--each covering the Joint European Tokamak (J.E.T. experiment), Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR), Russian T-20, The Next Step (TNS) designs by Westinghouse/ORNL and General Atomic/ANL, the ANL and ORNL EPR's, the G.A. Doublet Demonstration Reactor, the Italian Fintor-D and the ORNL Demo Studies. There are also the following full scale plant reference designs: UWMAK-III, LASL's Theta Pinch Reactor Design (RTPR), Mirror Fusion Reactor (MFR), Tandem Mirror Reactor (TMR), and the Mirror Hybrid Reactor (MHR). There are four laser device breakeven experiments, SHIVA-NOVA, LLL reference designs, ORNL Laser Fusion power plant, the German ''Saturn,'' and LLL's Laser Fusion EPR I and II

  1. Filbe molten salt research for tritium breeder applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderl, R.A.; Petti, D.A.; Smolik, G.R.

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of Flibe (2Lif·BeF 2 ) molten salt research activities conducted at the INEEL as part of the Japan-US JUPITER-II joint research program. The research focuses on tritium/chemistry issues for self-cooled Flibe tritium breeder applications and includes the following activities: (1) Flibe preparation, purification, characterization and handling, (2) development and testing of REDOX strategies for containment material corrosion control, (3) tritium behavior and management in Flibe breeder systems, and (4) safety testing (e.g., mobilization of Flibe during accident scenarios). This paper describes the laboratory systems developed to support these research activities and summarizes key results of this work to date. (author)

  2. Little tritium goes a long way

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albright, D.; Taylor, T.B.

    1988-01-01

    Faced with mounting safety problems in its military production reactors, the Energy Department will soon ask Congress to fund the construction of at least one new multibillion dollar tritium production reactor. Energy estimates that building such a reactor could take ten years, and it says that in the interim it needs to continue producing tritium at the Savannah River reactors. In fact, it plans to resume operating its Savannah River reactors at full power as soon as possible. The United States must keep producing tritium if the US-Soviet nuclear arms race continues its present course. If the arms race continues, the Energy Department has two basic options: it could run the Savannah River reactors for several more decades or it could use these reactors until it has built a new one. Operating the Savannah River reactors at full or low power may be risky, even if they undergo extensive safety modifications, since no one knows at what power these reactors can be operated safely. Despite these pressing issues, most of the substantive debate about the role of tritium in nuclear weapons and the requirement for more tritium production is taking place in secret. The public debate largely ignores the broader questions of whether the United States needs to produce tritium and what impact possible agreements reducing nuclear arsenals might have on US tritium requirements

  3. Recovery of humoral immunity parameters in mice under a long-term action of tritium oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirillova, E.N.; Man'ko, V.M.; Muksinova, K.N.

    1986-01-01

    Using the mice-males of the CBA line at the age of 10-12 weeks and body mass of 20-23 g the recovery value of quantitative and qualitative factors of humoral immunity under a long-term action of tritium oxide which has been injected during 6 months in the quantity of 370 kBq per 1g of body mass (cumulative dose 8.73 Gy). The long-term internal mice irradiation with tritium oxide resulted in marked devastation of central and peripheral organs of immune system. An earlier and complete recovery of cells quantity in the bone marrow and spleen, recover up to 50% in lymphnodes and minimum repopulation (from 10 to 20%) in thymus as compared with tested animals of the same age is pointed out. In experimental mice CFU 5 pool decrease in bone marrow and spleen is found. CFUs content in the spleen recovered up to the norm, whereas in the bone marrow it constituted not more than 55% of the control. Deep function injury of V-lymphocyte and T - helper precursors the activity of which has not recovered during the whole observation period. The long-term tritium oxide intake lead to antibodies production suppression (by 30-50%), the tendency to the decrease of antibody formation of these animals has been conserved up to the end of life. The functional activity of T - suppressors in humoral response to thymus-dependent antigen during the remote periods upon long-term irradiation decreased more than twice

  4. Improvement of tritium accountancy technology for the ITER fuel cycle safety enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'hira, Shigeru; Hayashi, T.; Nakamura, H.

    1999-01-01

    In order to improve the safe handling and control of tritium for ITER fuel cycle, effective 'in-situ' tritium accounting methods have been developed at Tritium Process Laboratory in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute under one of the ITER-EDA R and D Tasks. A remote and multi-location analysis of process gases by an application of laser Raman spectroscopy developed and tested could provide a measurement of hydrogen isotope gases with a detection limit of 0.3 kPa for 120 seconds analytical periods. An 'in-situ' tritium inventory measurement by application of a 'self assaying' storage bed with 25 g tritium capacity could provide a measurement with a required detection limit less than 1% and a design proof of a bed with 100 g tritium capacity. (author)

  5. Improvement of tritium accountancy technology for the ITER fuel cycle safety enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Hira, S.; Hayashi, T.; Nakamura, H.

    2001-01-01

    In order to improve the safe handling and control of tritium for ITER fuel cycle, effective ''in-situ'' tritium accounting methods have been developed at Tritium Process Laboratory in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute under one of the ITER-EDA R and D Tasks. A remote and multi-location analysis of process gases by an application of laser Raman spectroscopy developed and tested could provide a measurement of hydrogen isotope gases with a detection limit of 0.3 kPa for 120 seconds analytical periods. An ''in-situ'' tritium inventory measurement by application of a ''self assaying'' storage bed with 25 g tritium capacity could provide a measurement with a required detection limit less than 1 % and a design proof of a bed with 100 g tritium capacity. (author)

  6. Tritium handling experience in vacuum systems at TSTA [Tritium Systems Test Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.; Jenkins, E.M.; Walthers, C.R.; Yoshida, H.; Fukui, H.; Naruse, Y.

    1989-01-01

    Compound cryopumps have been added to the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) integrated fusion fuel loop. Operations have been performed which closely simulate an actual fusion reactor pumping scenario. In addition, performance data have been taken that support the concept of using coconut charcoal as a sorbent at 4K for pumping helium. Later tests show that coconut charcoal may be used to co-pump D,T and He mixtures on a single 4K panel. Rotary spiral pumps have been used successfully in several applications at TSTA and have acquired more than 9000 hours of maintenance-free operation. Metal bellows pumps have been used to back the spiral pumps and have been relatively trouble free in loop operations. Bellows pumps also have more than 9000 hours of maintenance-free operation. 5 refs., 6 figs

  7. Tritium accountancy and unmeasurable inventories in fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avenhaus, R.; Spannagel, G.

    1997-12-01

    For the time being fusion technology development involves relatively small quantities of tritium. Consequently, it is sufficient to apply so-called ''conventional'' accountancy tools. However, it is foreseeable that tritium operations - and thus the amount of tritium - will increase substantially. An advanced accountancy methodology will satisfy the resulting new requirements. In this study such an advanced accountancy methodolody is developed and applied to the situation envisaged with idealized experiments of the Karlsruhe Tritium Laboratory (TLK) as well as an idealized ITER-type fuel cycle. Firstly, this task comprises modeling of fuel cycle operations, providing the ''true'' data of the in-process inventories. As both the fuel cycle subsystems and networking themselves are susceptible to changes, a measurement model takes care of the true data, handles data reduction, and applies mathematical methods to confirm the final inventories on a statistical basis. Then, in a third step, the test statistics might verify whether or not a tritium anomaly, e.g. a tritium loss has occurred. Since the statistical analysis generates problems the solutions of which are not part of the standard statistical literature in the Annex the results of the related original work is presented in mathematical-abstract form. (orig.)

  8. A uranium bed with ceramic body for tritium storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khapov, A.S.; Grishechkin, S.K.; Kiselev, V.G. [' All Russia Research Institute of Automatics' - FSUE VNIIA, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2015-03-15

    It is widely recognized that ceramic coatings provide an attractive solution to lower tritium permeation in structural materials. Alumina based ceramic coatings have the highest permeation reduction factor for hydrogen. For this reason an attempt was made to apply crack-free low porous ceramics as a structural material of a bed body for tritium storage in a setup used for hydrogenating neutron tube targets at VNIIA. The present article introduces the design of the bed. This bed possesses essentially a lower hydrogen permeation factor than traditionally beds with stainless steel body. Bed heating in order to recover hydrogen from the bed is suggested to be implemented by high frequency induction means. Inductive heating allows decreasing the time necessary for tritium release from the bed as well as power consumption. Both of these factors mean less thermal power release into glove box where a setup for tritium handling is installed and thus causes fewer problems with pressure regulations inside the glove box. Inductive heating allows raising tritium sorbent material temperature up to melting point. The latter allows achieving nearly full tritium recovery.

  9. Tritium systems concepts for the next European torus (NET)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sood, S.K.; Bagli, K.S.; Busigin, A.; Kveton, O.K.; Dombra, A.H.; Miller, A.I.

    1986-09-01

    The study deals with the design of the various tritium processing facilities that will be required for the Next European Torus (NET) design. The reference data for the design of the NET Tritium Systems was provided by the NET team. Significant achievements of this study were: (a) Identification of new ways of handling some problems for example: 1) Recovery of tritium from the helium purge of the lithium-ceramic blanket using a novel Adsoprtion and Catalytic Exchange Process, 2) A new way of combining fuel component separation and coolant water detritiation using cryogenic distillation, 3) The use of parasitic refrigeration for the cryogenic isotope separation, 4) Tritium extraction from effluent gas streams at their respective sources, 5) Attempt to eliminate the need for Air Cleanup Systems. (b) Identification of uncertainties, for example: composition of plasma exhaust, required helium purge rate of Li-Pb for tritium recovery, uncertainty in requirements for decontaminating blanket sectors, etc. (c) Review of ways to limit tritium permeation into steam by swamping with hydrogen and to provide quantitative estimates for this permeation

  10. Tritium conference days; Journees tritium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garnier-Laplace, J.; Lebaron-Jacobs, L.; Sene, M.; Devin, P.; Chretien, V.; Le Guen, B.; Guetat, Ph.; Baglan, N.; Ansoborlo, E.; Boyer, C.; Masson, M.; Bailly-Du-Bois, P.; Jenkinson, St.; Wakeford, R.; Saintigny, Y.; Romeo, P.H.; Thompson, P.; Leterq, D.; Chastagner, F.; Cortes, P.; Philippe, M.; Paquet, F.; Fournier, M.

    2009-07-01

    This document gathers the slides of the available presentations given during this conference day. Twenty presentations out of 21 are assembled in the document and deal with: 1 - tritium in the environment (J. Garnier-Laplace); 2 - status of knowledge about tritium impact on health (L. Lebaron-Jacobs); 3 - tritium, discrete but present everywhere (M. Sene); 4 - management of tritium effluents from Areva NC La Hague site - related impact and monitoring (P. Devin); 5 - tritium effluents and impact in the vicinity of EDF's power plants (V. Chretien and B. Le Guen); 6 - contribution of CEA-Valduc centre monitoring to the knowledge of atmospheric tritiated water transfers to the different compartments of the environment (P. Guetat); 7 - tritium analysis in environment samples: constraints and means (N. Baglan); 8 - organically-linked tritium: the analyst view (E. Ansoborlo); 9 - study of tritium transfers to plants via OBT/HTO{sub air} and OBT/HTO{sub free} (C. Boyer); 10 - tritium in the British Channel (M. Masson and P. Bailly-Du-Bois); 11 - tritium in British coastal waters (S. Jenkinson); 12 - recent results from epidemiology (R. Wakeford); 13 - effects of tritiated thymidine on hematopoietic stem cells (P.H. Romeo); 14 - tritium management issue in Canada: the point of view from authorities (P. Thompson); 15 - experience feedback of the detritiation process of Valduc centre (D. Leterq); 16 - difficulties linked with tritiated wastes confinement (F. Chastagner); 17 - optimisation of tritium management in the ITER project (P. Cortes); 18 - elements of thought about the management of tritium generated by nuclear facilities (M. Philippe); 19 - CIPR's position about the calculation of doses and risks linked with tritium exposure (F. Paquet); 20 - tritium think tanks (M. Fournier). (J.S.)

  11. Tritium contamination experience in an operational D-T fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gentile, C.A.; Ascione, G.

    1994-01-01

    During December 1993, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) injected a mixture of deuterium and tritium in the TFTR vacuum vessel for the purpose of creating D-T plasmas. The tritium used in these D-T plasmas was stored, delivered and processed in the TFTR tritium facility that includes the tritium vault, waste handling area, clean-up area, and gas holding tank room. During this time period, several components in the tritium process system were found to have tritium leaks which led to tritium deposition on process skids, components and floor area. Radiological surveys of surfaces contaminated with tritium oxide indicate a decrease in surface contamination in time (on the order of 12 to 36 hours) as the result of room ventilation. In instances where the facility HVAC system was maintained in the purge mode, a dramatic decrease in surface contamination was observed. Areas contaminated with tritium oxide (> 16.6 Bq/100 cm 2 ) were found to be clean ( 2 ) after several hours of continuous purging by the facility HVAC system. In instances where relative humidity was not decreased, the tritium surface contamination was found to be attenuated. During the months of December 1993, January and February 1994 tritium leaking components were either replaced, redesigned or repaired. During this time period, data were collected in the form of contamination surveys, real time tritium monitor output, and HVAC configuration indicating the correlation of purge ventilation leading to a decrease in tritium oxide surface contamination

  12. Design, fabrication and testing of the gas analysis system for the tritium recovery experiment, TRIO-01

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finn, P.A.; Reedy, G.T.; Homa, M.I.; Clemmer, R.G.; Pappas, G.; Slawecki, M.A.; Graczyk, D.G.; Bowers, D.L.; Clemmer, E.D.

    1983-01-01

    The tritium recovery experiment, TRIO-01, required a gas analysis system which detected the form of tritium, the amount of tritium (differential and integral), and the presence and amount of other radioactive species. The system had to handle all contingencies and function for months at a time unattended during weekend operation. The designed system, described herein, consisted of a train of components which could be grouped as desired to match tritium release behavior

  13. Technical and Scientific Aspects of the JET Trace-Tritium Experimental Campaign

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, T.T.C.; Brennan, D; Pearce, R.J.H.; Stork, D.; Zastrow, K.-D.; Balshaw, N.; Bell, A.C.; Bertalot, L.; Boyer, H.; Butcher, P.R.; Challis, C.D.; Ciric, D.; Clarke, R.; Conroy, S.; Darke, A.C.; Davies, N.; Edlington, T.; Ericsson, G.; Gibbons, C.; Hackett, L.J.; Haupt, T.; Hitchin, M.; Kaye, A.S.; King, R.; Kiptily, V.G.; Knipe, S.; Lawrence, G.; Lobel, R.; Mason, A.; Morgan, P.D.; Patel, B.; Popovichev, S.; Stamp, M.; Surrey, E.; Terrington, A.; Worth, L.; Young, D.

    2005-01-01

    The JET Trace Tritium (TTE) programme marked the first use of tritium in experiments under the managerial control of UKAEA, which operates the JET Facility on behalf of EFDA. The introduction of tritium into the plasma by gas fuelling and neutral beam injection, even in trace quantities, required the mobilisation of gram-quantities of tritium gas from the Active Gas Handling System (AGHS) product storage units into the supply lines connected to the torus gas valve and the neutral beam injectors. All systems for DT gas handling, recovery and reprocessing were therefore recommissioned and operating procedures re-established, involving extensive operations staff training. The validation of Key Safety Related Equipment (KSRE) is described with reference to specific examples. The differences between requirements for TTE and full DT operations are shown to be relatively small. The scientific motivation for TTE, such as the possibility to obtain high-quality measurements in key areas such as fuel-ion transport and fast ion dynamics, is described, and the re-establishment and development of JET's 14MeV neutron diagnostic capability for TTE and future DT campaigns are outlined. Some scientific highlights from the TTE campaign are presented

  14. Tritium experiments on components for fusion fuel processing at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konishi, S.; Yoshida, H.; Naruse, Y.; Carlson, R.V.; Binning, K.E.; Bartlit, J.R.; Anderson, J.L.

    1990-01-01

    Under a collaborative agreement between US and Japan, two tritium processing components, a palladium diffuser and a ceramic electrolysis cell have been tested with tritium for application to a Fuel Cleanup System (FCU) for plasma exhaust processing at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The fundamental characteristics, compatibility with tritium, impurities effects with tritium, and long-term behavior of the components, were studied over a three year period. Based on these studies, an integrated process loop, ''JAERI Fuel Cleanup System'' equipped with above components was installed at the TSTA for full scale demonstration of the plasma exhaust reprocessing

  15. Tritium research and technology facilities at the JRC-Ispra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dworschak, H.; Mannone, F.; Perujo, A.; Pierini, G.; Reiter, F.; Vassallo, G.; Viola, A.; Camposilvan, J.; Douglas, K.; Grassi, G.; Lolli Ceroni, P.; Simonetta, A.; Spelta, B.

    1990-01-01

    A set of experiments which are of prominent interest for the development of nuclear fusion technology in Europe are planned by the JRC-Ispra for the near future, in the frame of experimental activities to be performed in ETHEL, the European Tritium Handling Experimental Laboratory under construction at the Ispra site. These experiments already included for the most part as JRC-Task Action Sheets in the 1989-1991 European Technology Programme Actions will initiate in ETHEL on a fully active laboratory scale starting mid-1991. They will concern the following research areas: Recycling of tritium from first wall materials; Tritium recovery from water cooled Pb-17Li blankets; Detritiation of ventilation atmospheres; Plasma exhaust processing; Tritiazed waste management. In view of fully active tritium experiments in ETHEL and to obtain information of the basic processes involved, since 1985 preparatory experimental studies are being performed at the JRC-Ispra laboratories using hydrogen and deuterium. Furthermore, always with regard to ETHEL experiments, particular attention is given to possible technical and managerial problems which potentially may arise in this context. To identify at an early stage such problems a questionnaire has been developed and distributed to researchers in conjunction with an ETHEL information packet. The questionnaire demands information regarding the scope, design and operation of the intended experiment as well as planning and required support to be supplied by ETHEL. A brief description of experimental preparatory studies and future tritium handling experiments in ETHEL as well of the ETHEL facility is here presented. (orig.)

  16. Low-level tritium research facility for the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kherani, N.P.; Shmayda, W.T.

    1984-06-01

    The objective of the Low-level Tritium Research Facility for the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) is to investigate tritium-material interactions and how they differ with respect to protium and deuterium. The tritium laboratory will also be employed to study tritium retention, tritium imaging, and the effect of tritium on diagnostic devices. This report is a preliminary design document of the UTIAS Low-Level Tritium Research Facility including the fundamentals of tritium, a description of the facility, tritium laboratory requirements and the safety analysis of the laboratory. The facility is designed to handle a total elemental tritium inventory of 10 Ci, though it will initially commence operation with 1 Ci and later increased to the maximum value. In the event of an instantaneous emission of the total tritium inventory within the laboratory, the working personnel would be exposed to an airborne tritium concentration less than the maximum permissible. Moreover, with all the safety features included in this design the likelihood of such an accident is very remote. Thus, the tritium laboratory design is intrinsically safe

  17. Using the Tritium Plasma Experiment to evaluate ITER PFC safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longhurst, G.R.; Anderl, R.A.; Bartlit, J.R.; Causey, R.A.; Haines, J.R.

    1993-01-01

    The Tritium Plasma Experiment was assembled at Sandia National Labs., Livermore and is being moved to the Tritium Systems Test Assembly facility at Los Alamos National Lab. to investigate interactions between dense plasmas at low energies and plasma-facing component materials. This apparatus has the unique capability of replicating plasma conditions in a tokamak divertor with particle flux densities of 2 x 10 23 ions/m 2 .s and a plasma temperature of about 15 eV using a plasma that includes tritium. An experimental program has been initiated using the Tritium Plasma Experiment to examine safety issues related to tritium in plasma-facing components, particularly the ITER divertor. Those issues include tritium retention and release characteristics, tritium permeation rates and transient times to coolant streams, surface modification and erosion by the plasma, the effects of thermal loads and cycling, and particulate production. An industrial consortium led by McDonnell Douglas will design and fabricate the test fixtures

  18. Tritium breeding blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, D.; Billone, M.; Gohar, Y.; Baker, C.; Mori, S.; Kuroda, T.; Maki, K.; Takatsu, H.; Yoshida, H.; Raffray, A.; Sviatoslavsky, I.; Simbolotti, G.; Shatalov, G.

    1991-01-01

    The terms of reference for ITER provide for incorporation of a tritium breeding blanket with a breeding ratio as close to unity as practical. A breeding blanket is required to assure an adequate supply of tritium to meet the program objectives. Based on specified design criteria, a ceramic breeder concept with water coolant and an austenitic steel structure has been selected as the first option and lithium-lead blanket concept has been chosen as an alternate option. The first wall, blanket, and shield are integrated into a single unit with separate cooling systems. The design makes extensive use of beryllium to enhance the tritium breeding ratio. The design goals with a tritium breeding ratio of 0.8--0.9 have been achieved and the R ampersand D requirements to qualify the design have been identified. 4 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs

  19. ITER Dynamic Tritium Inventory Modeling Code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cristescu, Ioana-R.; Doerr, L.; Busigin, A.; Murdoch, D.

    2005-01-01

    A tool for tritium inventory evaluation within each sub-system of the Fuel Cycle of ITER is vital, with respect to both the process of licensing ITER and also for operation. It is very likely that measurements of total tritium inventories may not be possible for all sub-systems, however tritium accounting may be achieved by modeling its hold-up within each sub-system and by validating these models in real-time against the monitored flows and tritium streams between the systems. To get reliable results, an accurate dynamic modeling of the tritium content in each sub-system is necessary. In order to optimize the configuration and operation of the ITER fuel cycle, a dynamic fuel cycle model was developed progressively in the decade up to 2000-2001. As the design for some sub-systems from the fuel cycle (i.e. Vacuum pumping, Neutral Beam Injectors (NBI)) have substantially progressed meanwhile, a new code developed under a different platform to incorporate these modifications has been developed. The new code is taking over the models and algorithms for some subsystems, such as Isotope Separation System (ISS); where simplified models have been previously considered, more detailed have been introduced, as for the Water Detritiation System (WDS). To reflect all these changes, the new code developed inside EU participating team was nominated TRIMO (Tritium Inventory Modeling), to emphasize the use of the code on assessing the tritium inventory within ITER

  20. Wind tunnel investigations on tritium reemission from soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taeschner, M.; Bunnenberg, C.

    1993-01-01

    Future fusion plants and tritium handling facilities will contain large amounts of tritium. Following chronical or accidental releases to the atmosphere a secondary HTO source is established in the downwind sector of the tritium release point as a result of deposition processes. To investigate HTO reemission rates, experiments were performed with a special wind tunnel, in which the air flows across the surface of soil columns under controlled conditions. In order to measure the HTO content of an air sample that was experimentally contaminated by reemission of HTO from a labeled soil column, a fast method is used. The air sample is bubbled through a flask filled with a definite volume of low-tritium water. At the end of the sampling period, the volume and the specific activity of the flask water are measured. With the help of a simple mathematical formula, that is presented in this report, the HTO activity of the air sample can be calculated. (orig.) [de

  1. Tritium labeling for bio-med research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lemmon, R.M.

    1980-01-01

    A very large fraction of what we know about biochemical pathways in the living cell has resulted from the use of radioactively-labeled tracer compounds; the use of tritium-labeled compounds has been particularly important. As research in biochemistry and biology has progressed the need has arisen to label compounds of higher specific activity and of increasing molecular complexity - for example, oligo-nucleotides, polypeptides, hormones, enzymes. Our laboratory has gradually developed special facilities for handling tritium at the kilocurie level. These facilities have already proven extremely valuable in producing labeled compounds that are not available from commercial sources. The principal ways employed for compound labeling are: (1) microwave discharge labeling, (2) catalytic tritio-hydrogenation, (3) catalytic exchange with T 2 O, and (4) replacement of halogen atoms by T. Studies have also been carried out on tritiation by the replacement of halogen atoms with T atoms. These results indicate that carrier-free tritium-labeled products, including biomacromolecules, can be produced in this way

  2. The design, fabrication and testing of the gas analysis system for the tritium recovery experiment, TRIO-01

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finn, P.A.; Bowers, D.L.; Clemmer, E.D.; Clemmer, R.G.; Graczyk, D.G.; Homa, M.I.; Pappas, G.; Reedy, G.T.; Slawecki, M.A.

    1983-01-01

    The tritium recovery experiment, TRIO-01, required a gas analysis system which detected the form of tritium, the amount of tritium (differential and integral), and the presence and amount of other radioactive species. The system had to handle all contingencies and function for months at a time; unattended during weekend operation. The designed system, described herein, consisted of a train of components which could be grouped as desired to match tritium release behavior

  3. Tritium contamination experience in an operational D-T fusion reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gentile, C.A.; Ascione, G. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.; Anderson, J.L. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)] [and others

    1994-09-01

    During December 1993, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) injected a mixture of deuterium and tritium in the TFTR vacuum vessel for the purpose of creating D-T plasmas. The tritium used in these D-T plasmas was stored, delivered and processed in the TFTR tritium facility that includes the tritium vault, waste handling area, clean-up area, and gas holding tank room. During this time period, several components in the tritium process system were found to have tritium leaks which led to tritium deposition on process skids, components and floor area. Radiological surveys of surfaces contaminated with tritium oxide indicate a decrease in surface contamination in time (on the order of 12 to 36 hours) as the result of room ventilation. In instances where the facility HVAC system was maintained in the purge mode, a dramatic decrease in surface contamination was observed. Areas contaminated with tritium oxide (> 16.6 Bq/100 cm{sup 2}) were found to be clean (< 16.6 Bq/100 cm{sub 2}) after several hours of continuous purging by the facility HVAC system. In instances where relative humidity was not decreased, the tritium surface contamination was found to be attenuated. During the months of December 1993, January and February 1994 tritium leaking components were either replaced, redesigned or repaired. During this time period, data were collected in the form of contamination surveys, real time tritium monitor output, and HVAC configuration indicating the correlation of purge ventilation leading to a decrease in tritium oxide surface contamination.

  4. Results of observations of the tritium concentration in water fractions in the disposition regions of tritium laboratories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koval, G.N.; Kuzmina, A.I.; Kolomiets, N.F.; Svarichevskaya, E.V.; Rogosin, V.N.; Svyatun, O.V.

    1995-01-01

    In this paper results of the long term of control of tritium concentration in the water fractions in the region close to the tritium laboratories of INR NAS of Ukraine are presented. The regular observations for the tritium concentration in the water fractions (thawed water of the snow cover, birch juice and sewer water) in the influence region of tritium laboratories shows small amount of tritium concentration in all kinds of investigated water fractions in comparison with the tritium concentration in the reper points. The proper connection of the levels of tritium concentration of the water samples with the quantity of the technology production is observed. In common, the tritium pollution on the territory of INR shows the tendency for a considerable decrease of the environmental pollution levels from year to year. It can be explained by the perfection of the production technology of tritium structures and targets as well as the rising of the qualification of the personnel. 3 refs., 4 figs

  5. Tritium immobilisation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bridger, N.J.

    1982-01-01

    Tritium is immobilised for long term storage by absorption in a hydridable/tritidable material, such as zirconium. A gas permeable container is packed with the material in the form of sponge fragments, rods or tubes, and a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and tritium introduced into the container whilst the container is at a temperature of about 600 deg C or above. Thermal expansion of the material during reaction with the gaseous mixture compacts the material into a coherent body in the container relatively free from finely divided hydride/ tritide material. (author)

  6. Metabolism of tritium uptake due to handling of metal surfaces exposed to tritiated hydrogen gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, J.R.; Peterman, B.F.

    1987-08-01

    Hairless rats were exposed to tritium by rubbing HT contaminated stainless steel planchets on them. The pattern of tritium excretion in the urine (n=4), shows the OBT (organically bound tritium) retention curve to be approximated by the sum of 2 exponential curves, one with a half-life of 0.4 days and another with a half-life of 1.4 days. The retention of HTO fit a single exponential curve with a half-life of 3.1 days. Exposed skin, unexposed skin, liver, muscle and blood (n=6) were assayed for HBO, and free HTO. Highest activity was found in the exposed skin, other organs with high activity are the unexposed skin and liver. Examination of the exposed skin showed HTO to be concentrated in the uppermost layers. The distribution of OBT was similar but was incorporated at a faster rate. The basal layer is exposed to a tritium concentration between 70-90% of that of the surface. The two macromolecule fractions with the highest amount of radioactivity were lipid and insoluble protein (mainly collagen)

  7. Compartmental model for tritium persistence in the soil-plant system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyengar, T.S.; Sadarangani, S.H.; Vaze, P.K.; Soman, S.D.

    1977-01-01

    A three-component computer model for tritium persistence in the soil-plant system, on the basis of an exponential polynomial is attempted. A series of field experiments with four species of trees, viz. Cardia sebastina, Terminalia catappa, Aracaria bidwilli and Mangifera indica, were carried out to generate data for testing the model. It is observed that there are two short-term components and one long-term component for tritium mean residence time, corresponding to the three phases of tritium in the system, viz. Tissue-Free-Water-Tritium, labile component of Tissue-Bound-Tritium and non-labile component of Tissue-Bound-Tritium. (author)

  8. The operation of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor Tritium Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gentile, C.A.; LaMarche, P.H.

    1995-01-01

    The TFTR tritium operations staff has successfully received, stored, handled, and processed over five hundred thousand curies of tritium for the purpose of supporting D-T (Deuterium-Tritium) operations at TFTR. Tritium operations personnel nominally provide continuous round the clock coverage (24 hours/day, 7 days/week) in shift complements consisting of I supervisor and 3 operators. Tritium Shift Supervisors and operators are required to have 5 years of operational experience in either the nuclear or chemical industry and to become certified for their positions. The certification program provides formal instruction, as well as on the job training. The certification process requires 4 to 6 months to complete, which includes an oral board lasting up to 4 hours at which time the candidate is tested on their knowledge of Tritium Technology and TFTR Tritium systems. Once an operator is certified, the training process continues with scheduled training weeks occurring once every 5 weeks. During D-T operations at TFTR the operators must evacuate the tritium area due to direct radiation from TFTR D-T pulses. During '' time operators maintain cognizance over tritium systems via a real time TV camera system. Operators are able to gain access to the Tritium area between TFTR D-T pulses, but have been excluded from die tritium area during D-T pulsing for periods up to 30 minutes. Tritium operators are responsible for delivering tritium gas to TFRR as well as processing plasma exhaust gases which lead to the deposition of tritium oxide on disposable molecular sieve beds (DMSB). Once a DMSB is loaded, the operations staff remove the expended DMSB, and replace it with a new DMSB container. The TFIR tritium system is operated via detailed procedures which require operator sign off for system manipulation. There are >300 procedures controlling the operation of the tritium systems

  9. Techniques for tritium recovery from carbon flakes and dust at the JET active gas handling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gruenhagen, S.; Perevezentsev, A.; Brennan, P. D.; Camp, P.; Knipe, S.; Miller, A.; Yorkshades, J.

    2008-01-01

    Detritiation of highly tritium contaminated carbon and metal material used as first wall armour is a key issue for fusion machines like JET and ITER. Re-deposited carbon and hydrogen in the form of flakes and dust can lead to a build-up of the tritium inventory and therefore this material must be removed and processed. The high tritium concentration of the flake and dust material collected from the JET vacuum vessel makes it unsuitable for direct waste disposal without detritiation. A dedicated facility to process the tritiated carbon flake material and recover the tritium has been designed and built. In several test runs active material was successfully processed and de-tritiated in the new facility. Samples containing only carbon and hydrogen isotopes have been completely oxidized without any residue. Samples containing metallic impurities, e.g. beryllium, require longer processing times, adjusted processing parameters and yield an oxide residue. The detritiation factor was 2x10 4 . In order to simulate in-vessel and ex-vessel detritiation techniques, the detritiation of a carbon flake sample by isotopic exchange in a hydrogen atmosphere was investigated. 2.8% of tritium was recovered by this means. (authors)

  10. Radiation protection data sheets for the use of Tritium in unsealed sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1993-01-01

    This radiation protection data sheet is intended for supervisors and staff in the different medical, hospital, pharmaceutical, university and industrial laboratories and departments where Tritium is handled, and also for all those involved in risk prevention in this field. It provides essential data on radiation protection measures during the use of Tritium in unsealed sources: physical characteristics, risk assessment, administrative procedures, recommendations, regulations and bibliography

  11. Tritium interactions of potential importance to fusion reactor systems: technology requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkes, W.R.

    1976-01-01

    The tritium technology requirements created by the controlled thermonuclear research program to develop a demonstration fusion power reactor by the year 2000 are reviewed. It is found that the majority of the technological advances which are needed to ensure adequate tritium containment in a tritium breeding power reactor need to be demonstrated on a pilot scale by approximately 1983, so that they may be incorporated into EPR-II, the second of two planned experimental power reactors. The most important advances include development of containment materials with permeabilities to tritium well below measured values for stainless steel; large scale, low inventory deuterium-tritium separation systems; and improved monitoring and assay systems. There are less critical requirements for information about the effects of tritium and helium on the mechanical properties of materials, the effects of tritium on biological systems, and data on physical and chemical properties of tritium. Substantial progress needs to be made on these problems early enough to permit possible solutions to be tested on EPR-I. In addition, major improvements in tritium handling equipment are required for EPR-I. Those technological problems for which solutions have not yet been demonstrated by EPR-II must be solved by 1989 if they are to be assured successful application in the demonstration reactor

  12. Helium effects on tritium storage materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moysan, I.; Contreras, S.; Demoment, J.

    2008-01-01

    For ten years French Tritium laboratories have been using metal hydride storage beds with LaNi 4 Mn for process gas (HDT mixture) absorption, desorption and for both short and long term storage. This material has been chosen because of its low equilibrium pressure and of its ability to retain decay helium 3 in its lattice. Aging effects on the thermodynamic behavior of LaNi 4 Mn have been investigated. Aging, due to formation of helium 3 in the lattice, decreases the desorption isotherm plateau pressure and shifts the α phase to the higher stoichiometries. Life time of the two kinds of tritium (and isotopes) storage vessels managed in the laboratory depends on these aging changes. The Tritium Long Term Storage (namely STLT) and the hydride storage vessel (namely FSH 400) are based on LaNi 4 Mn even though they are not used for the same applications. STLT contains LaNi 4 Mn in an aluminum vessel and is designed for long term pure tritium storage. The FSH 400 is composed of LaNi 4 Mn included within a stainless steel container. This design is aimed at storing low tritium content mixtures (less than 3% of tritium) and for supplying processes with HDT gas. Life time of the STLT can reach 12 years. Life time of the FSH 400 varies from 1.2 years to more than 25 years depending on the application. (authors)

  13. Helium effects on tritium storage materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moysan, I.; Contreras, S.; Demoment, J. [CEA Valduc, Service HDT, 21 - Is-sur-Tille (France)

    2008-07-15

    For ten years French Tritium laboratories have been using metal hydride storage beds with LaNi{sub 4}Mn for process gas (HDT mixture) absorption, desorption and for both short and long term storage. This material has been chosen because of its low equilibrium pressure and of its ability to retain decay helium 3 in its lattice. Aging effects on the thermodynamic behavior of LaNi{sub 4}Mn have been investigated. Aging, due to formation of helium 3 in the lattice, decreases the desorption isotherm plateau pressure and shifts the {alpha} phase to the higher stoichiometries. Life time of the two kinds of tritium (and isotopes) storage vessels managed in the laboratory depends on these aging changes. The Tritium Long Term Storage (namely STLT) and the hydride storage vessel (namely FSH 400) are based on LaNi{sub 4}Mn even though they are not used for the same applications. STLT contains LaNi{sub 4}Mn in an aluminum vessel and is designed for long term pure tritium storage. The FSH 400 is composed of LaNi{sub 4}Mn included within a stainless steel container. This design is aimed at storing low tritium content mixtures (less than 3% of tritium) and for supplying processes with HDT gas. Life time of the STLT can reach 12 years. Life time of the FSH 400 varies from 1.2 years to more than 25 years depending on the application. (authors)

  14. Application of the Microwave Discharge Modification of the Wilzbach Technique for the Tritium Labelling of some Organics of Biological Interest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gosztonyi, T.

    1969-01-01

    The modification of the Wilzbach technique using microwave discharge has been routinely used in our laboratory for rapid tritium labellings. The applicability of the method and the effects of some of the reaction parameters were studied and published previously. The main advantage of the method is its simplicity and rapidity and the low extent of decomposition of the compound to be labelled during the reaction. Specific activities obtained, however, are not high enough for some investigations. In this paper the labelling of dihydrostreptomycine, tetracycline and antipyrine will be described

  15. Application of the Microwave Discharge Modification of the Wilzbach Technique for the Tritium Labelling of some Organics of Biological Interest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gosztonyi, T

    1969-01-15

    The modification of the Wilzbach technique using microwave discharge has been routinely used in our laboratory for rapid tritium labellings. The applicability of the method and the effects of some of the reaction parameters were studied and published previously. The main advantage of the method is its simplicity and rapidity and the low extent of decomposition of the compound to be labelled during the reaction. Specific activities obtained, however, are not high enough for some investigations. In this paper the labelling of dihydrostreptomycine, tetracycline and antipyrine will be described.

  16. Tritium pollution in the Swiss luminous compound industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krejci, K.; Zeller, Jr.

    1979-01-01

    The Swiss luminous compound industry is an important consumer of tritium. About 350kCi go into production of tritium gas-filled light sources and 40kCi into production of tritium luminous compound annually. To illustrate the pollution problem, a factory is mentioned that handles 200kCi annually and a chain of luminizers, processing 20kCi over the same period as tritium luminous compound. This material is manufactured by coating phosphors with tritiated polystyrene having a specific activity up to 200Ci/g. Because of the high specific activity, the radiation damage produces an average activity release of 5.2% annually, which is one of the main reasons for public and occupational exposure. The processing of large quantities of tritium gas requires special equipment, such as units made entirely of stainless steel for purification and hydrogenation, oxidation systems for highly contaminated air, glove boxes, ventilation and monitoring systems. Nevertheless, contamination of air, surfaces, water and workers cannot be avoided. Only in a few cases were MPC-values for tritium content in urine of workers exceeded. From these results, biological half-lives between 5-15 days were estimated. Regular medical examinations showed no significant influence in blood picture parameters, except in one single case with a tritium concentration in urine of 2.8mCi/litre. Entirely different problems arise in most luminizing factories where luminous paint is processed as an open radioactive source. (author)

  17. Permeability of protective coatings to tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braun, J.M.

    1987-10-01

    The permeability of four protective coatings to tritium gas and tritiated water was investigated. The coatings, including two epoxies, one vinyl and one urethane, were selected for their suitability in CANDU plant service in Ontario Hydro. Sorption rates of tritium gas into the coatings were considerably larger than for tritiated water, by as much as three to four orders of magnitude. However, as a result of the very large solubility of tritiated water in the coatings, the overall permeability to tritium gas and tritiated water are comparable, being somewhat larger for HTO. Marked differences were also evident among the four coatings, the vinyl proving to be unique in behaviour and morphology. Because of a highly porous surface structure water condensation takes place at high relative humidities, leading to an abnormally high retention of free water. Desorption rates from the four coatings were otherwise quite similar. Of practical importance was the observation that more effective desorption of tritiated water could be carried out at relatively high humidities, in this case 60%. It was believed that isotopic exchange was responsible for this phenomenon. It appears that epoxy coatings having a high pigment-to-binder ratio are most suited for coating concrete in tritium handling facilities

  18. Stack and area tritium monitoring systems for the tokamak fusion test reactor (TFTR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pearson, G.G.; Meixler, L.D.; Sirsingh, R.A.P.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports on the TFTR Tritium Stack and Area Monitoring Systems which have been developed to provide the required level of reliability in a cost effective manner consistent with the mission of the Tritium Handling System on TFTR. Personnel protection, environmental responsibility, and tritium containing system integrity have been the considerations in system design. During the Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) experiments on TFTR, tritium will be used for the first time as one of the fuels. Area monitors provide surveillance of the air in various rooms at TFTR. Stack monitors monitor the air at the TFTR test site that is exhausted through the HVAC systems, from the room exhaust stacks and the tritium systems process vents. The philosophies for the implementation of the Stack and Area Tritium Monitoring Systems at TFTR are to use hardwired controls wherever personnel protection is involved, and to take advantage of modern intelligent controllers to provide a distributed system to support the functions of tracking, displaying, and archiving concentration levels of tritium for all of the monitored areas and stacks

  19. Development of tritium handing technology(II)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, H. S.; Ahn, D. H.; Kim, K. R. [KAERI, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Yook, D. S.; Song, K. M.; Son, S. H. [KEPRI, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, K. J.; Jung, H. Y.; Song, M. C. [KAIST, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-02-01

    The buildup rate of tritium in heavy water moderator and coolant of pressurized heavy water reactors in Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant is about 4MCi/a. The control of tritium is of increasing concern to the power reactor industry and general public in Korea. Metal tritides have the advantage of significantly decreasing the volume required to store tritium without increasing the pressure of storage vessel. Titanium hydride was safely used for the long-term storage of tritium. The experimental thermodynamic P-C-T data show that titanium soaks up hydrogen isotope gas at ambient temperature and modest pressures.

  20. Study of Tritium Behavior in Cement Paste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takata, H.; Motoshima, T.; Satake, S.; Nishikawa, M.

    2005-01-01

    The concrete materials are used as the partition wall of the tritium handling facilities. It is important to grasp the tritium behavior in the concrete wall for radiation safety. It is considered in this study that the surface water on the concrete materials consists of physically adsorbed water, chemically adsorbed water and structural water as in the case of porous adsorption materials. The adsorption capacity due to physically and chemically adsorption isotherms observed in this study shows that the amount of water adsorption on the cement paste is a quarter of the amount adsorbed onto the surface of activated alumina or molecular sieves 5A (MS-5A). It shows that concrete is easily contaminated with tritiated water

  1. Analysis of tritium mission FMEF/FAA fuel handling accidents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Keuren, J.C.

    1997-11-18

    The Fuels Material Examination Facility/Fuel Assembly Area is proposed to be used for fabrication of mixed oxide fuel to support the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) tritium/medical isotope mission. The plutonium isotope mix for the new mission is different than that analyzed in the FMEF safety analysis report. A reanalysis was performed of three representative accidents for the revised plutonium mix to determine the impact on the safety analysis. Current versions computer codes and meterology data files were used for the analysis. The revised accidents were a criticality, an explosion in a glovebox, and a tornado. The analysis concluded that risk guidelines were met with the revised plutonium mix.

  2. Evaluation of replacement tritium facility (RTF) compliance with DOE safety goals using probabilistic consequence assessment methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Kula, K.R.; East, J.M.; Moore, M.L.

    1993-01-01

    The Savannah River Site (SRS), operated by the Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) for the US Department of Energy (DOE), is a major center for the processing of nuclear materials for national defense, deep-space exploration, and medical treatment applications in the United States. As an integral part of the DOE's effort to modernize facilities, implement improved handling and processing technology, and reduce operational risk to the general public and onsite workers, transition of tritium processing at SRS from the Consolidated Tritium Facility to the Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF) began in 1993. To ensure that operation of new DOE facilities such as RTF present minimum involuntary and voluntary risks to the neighboring public and workers, indices of risk have been established to serve as target levels or safety goals of performance for assessing nuclear safety. These goals are discussed from a historical perspective in the initial part of this paper. Secondly, methodologies to quantify risk indices are briefly described. Lastly, accident, abnormal event, and normal operation source terms from RTF are evaluated for consequence assessment purposes relative to the safety targets

  3. Protecting worker health and safety using remote handling systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dennison, D.K.; Merrill, R.D.; Reed, R.K.

    1995-03-01

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is currently developing and installing two large-scale, remotely controlled systems for use in improving worker health and safety by minimizing exposure to hazardous and radioactive materials. The first system is a full-scale liquid feed system for use in delivering chemical reagents to LLNL's existing aqueous low-level radioactive and mixed waste treatment facility (Tank Farm). The Tank Farm facility is used to remove radioactive and toxic materials in aqueous wastes prior to discharge to the City of Livermore Water Reclamation Plant (LWRP), in accordance with established discharge limits. Installation of this new reagent feed system improves operational safety and process efficiency by eliminating the need to manually handle reagents used in the treatment processes. This was done by installing a system that can inject precisely metered amounts of various reagents into the treatment tanks and can be controlled either remotely or locally via a programmable logic controller (PLC). The second system uses a robotic manipulator to remotely handle, characterize, process, sort, and repackage hazardous wastes containing tritium. This system uses an IBM-developed gantry robot mounted within a special glove box enclosure designed to isolate tritiated wastes from system operators and minimize the potential for release of tritium to the atmosphere. Tritiated waste handling is performed remotely, using the robot in a teleoperational mode for one-of-a-kind functions and in an autonomous mode for repetitive operations. The system is compatible with an existing portable gas cleanup unit designed to capture any gas-phase tritium inadvertently released into the glove box during waste handling

  4. Estimation of Biological Effects of Tritium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umata, Toshiyuki

    2017-01-01

    Nuclear fusion technology is expected to create new energy in the future. However, nuclear fusion requires a large amount of tritium as a fuel, leading to concern about the exposure of radiation workers to tritium beta radiation. Furthermore, countermeasures for tritium-polluted water produced in decommissioning of the reactor at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station may potentially cause health problems in radiation workers. Although, internal exposure to tritium at a low dose/low dose rate can be assumed, biological effect of tritium exposure is not negligible, because tritiated water (HTO) intake to the body via the mouth/inhalation/skin would lead to homogeneous distribution throughout the whole body. Furthermore, organically-bound tritium (OBT) stays in the body as parts of the molecules that comprise living organisms resulting in long-term exposure, and the chemical form of tritium should be considered. To evaluate the biological effect of tritium, the effect should be compared with that of other radiation types. Many studies have examined the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of tritium. Hence, we report the RBE, which was obtained with radiation carcinogenesis classified as a stochastic effect, and serves as a reference for cancer risk. We also introduce the outline of the tritium experiment and the principle of a recently developed animal experimental system using transgenic mouse to detect the biological influence of radiation exposure at a low dose/low dose rate.

  5. Radiation doses to lungs and whole body from use of tritium in luminous paint industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudran, K.

    1988-01-01

    The radiation dose to persons exposed to tritium in the luminous paint industry is reported. The biological half-life of labile tritium is observed to be 7 to 10 days. There is evidence of exposure of lung tissue from tritium labelled polystyrene deposited in the pulmonary region and of soft tissue from organically bound tritium. Delayed excretion of labile tritium in urine following removal of the individuals from tritium handling, presence of tritium in organic constituents of blood and urine, and presence of non-volatile tritium in faecal excretion have been verified. From in vitro studies using fresh bovine serum, solubilisation half-life of tritium from the labelled paint is estimated to be 35 to 70 days after the initial fast clearance. Probable annual doses to the whole body, soft tissue and lungs under the prevailing working conditions have been estimated from the urinary and faecal excretion data. It is revealed that the actual values thus estimated are likely to exceed the values estimated by the conventional technique based on urine analysis for tritiated water. (author)

  6. Transfer of fallout tritium from environment to human body

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hisamatsu, Shun-ichi; Takizawa, Yukio

    1989-01-01

    A large quntity of tritium will be used as a fuel of nuclear fusion in the future. It is, therefore, considered important to elucidate tritium behavior present in the environment and the process of tritium transfer from the environment to the human body. Fallout tritium is an applicable material in searching for the long term behavior of tritium in the environment. This paper focuses on the American, Italian, Japanese literature concerning fallout tritium in food and in the human body. The specific activity ratio of bound to free tritium poses an important problem. The mechanism of biological concentration must await further studies. (N.K.) 63 refs

  7. Swords into plowshares -- Tritium waste minimization (training development project)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hehmeyer, J.; Sienkiewicz, C.; Kent, L.; Gill, J.; Schmitz, W.; Mills, T.; Wurstner, R.; Adams, F.; Seabaugh, P.

    1995-01-01

    A concentrated emphasis of Mound's historical mission has been working with tritium. As the phase out of defense work begins and the increase on environmental technology strengthens, so too must a shift occur in applying one's focus. Mound's longstanding efforts in Tritium Training have proven fruitful to them and the Complex. It is this emphasis for which a new generation of worker training is being developed, one which reflects a new mission; Tritium Waste Minimization. The efforts of previous training, particularly under Accreditation, have given a solid base on which to launch the Waste Minimization program. Typical operations consider the impact on the varying levels of containment and the tools and agents used to achieve those levels. D and D and system modifications are bringing new light to such things as floor tile, oils, mole sieves, and rust. Of financial interest is the amount of savings which have been obtained through review and modification, rather than developing a new program. The authors are learning not to reinvent the wheel. The presentation will compare and contrast the methodologies used in creating and implementing this training program. Emphasis will be placed on lessons learned, costs saved, and program enhancement

  8. Tritium recovery and separation from CTR plasma exhausts and secondary containment atmospheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forrester, R.C. III; Watson, J.S.

    1975-01-01

    Recent experimental successes have generated increased interest in the development of thermonuclear reactors as power sources for the future. This paper examines tritium containment problems posed by an operating CTR and sets forth some processing schemes currently being evaluated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. An appreciation of the CTR tritium management problem can best be realized by recalling that tritium production rates for various fission reactors range from 2 x 10 4 to 9 x 10 5 Ci/yr per 1000 MW(e). Present estimates of tritium production in a CTR blanket exceed 10 9 Ci/yr for the same level of power generation, and tritium process systems may handle 10 to 20 times that amount. Tritium's high permeability through most materials of construction at high temperatures makes secondary containment mandatory for most piping. Processing of these containment atmospheres will probably involve conversion of the tritium to a nonpermeating form (T 2 O) followed by trapping on conventional beds of desiccant material. In a similar fashion, all purge streams and process fluid vent gases will be subjected to tritium recovery prior to atmospheric release. Two tritium process systems will be required, one to recover tritium produced by breeding in the blanket and another to recover unburned tritium in the plasma exhaust. Plasma exhaust processing will be unconventional since the exhaust gas pressure will lie between 10 -3 and 10 -6 torr. Treatment of this gas stream will entail the removal of small quantities of protium and helium from a much larger deuterium-tritium mixture which will be recycled. (U.S.)

  9. Tritium pellet injector for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gouge, M.J.; Baylor, L.R.; Combs, S.K.; Fisher, P.W.; Foust, C.R.; Milora, S.L.

    1992-01-01

    The tritium pellet injector (TPI) for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) will provide a tritium pellet fueling capability with pellet speeds in the 1- to 3-km/s range for the TFTR deuterium-tritium (D-T) plasma phase. An existing deuterium pellet injector (DPI) was modified at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide a four-shot, tritium-compatible, pipe-gun configuration with three upgraded single-stage pneumatic guns and a two-stage light gas gun driver. The TPI was designed for frozen pellets ranging in size from 3 to 4 mm in diameter in arbitrarily programmable firing sequences at tritium pellet speeds up to approximately 1.5 km/s for the three single-stage drivers and 2.5 to 3 km/s for the two-stage driver. Injector operation is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC). The new pipe-gun injector assembly was installed in the modified DPI guard vacuum box, and modifications were also made to the internals of the DPI vacuum injection line, including a new pellet diagnostics package. Assembly of these modified parts with existing DPI components was then completed and the TPI was tested at ORNL with deuterium pellets. Results of the testing program at ORNL are described. The TPI has been installed and operated on TFTR in support of the CY-92 deuterium plasma run period. In 1993, the tritium pellet injector will be retrofitted with a D-T fuel manifold and tritium gloveboxes and integrated into TFTR tritium processing systems to provide full tritium pellet capability

  10. A new combination of membranes and membrane reactors for improved tritium management in breeder blanket of fusion machines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demange, D.; Staemmler, S.; Kind, M.

    2011-01-01

    Tritium used as fuel in future fusion machines will be produced within the breeder blanket. The tritium extraction system recovers the tritium to be routed into the inner-fuel cycle of the machine. Accurate and precise tritium accountancy between both systems is mandatory to ensure a reliable operation. Handling in the blanket huge helium flow rates containing tritium as traces in molecular and oxide forms is challenging both for the process and the accountancy. Alternative tritium processes based on combinations of membranes and membrane reactors are proposed to facilitate the tritium management. The PERMCAT process is based on counter-current isotope swamping in a palladium membrane reactor. It allows recovering tritium efficiently from any chemical species. It produces a pure hydrogen stream enriched in tritium of advantage for integration upstream of the accountancy stage. A pre-separation and pre-concentration stage using new zeolite membranes has been studied to optimize the whole process. Such a combination could improve the tritium processes and facilitate accountancy in DEMO.

  11. Management of tritium-contaminated wastes a survey of alternative options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mannone, F.

    1990-01-01

    The European Tritium Handling Experimental Laboratory (ETHEL) under construction on the site of Ispra Joint Research Centre of the Commission of European Communities has been commissioned to experimentally develop operational and environmental safety aspects related to the tritium technology in fusion, i.e. dealing with the behaviour and reliability of materials, equipment and containment systems under tritium impact. For this reason a part of the experimental activities to be performed in ETHEL will be devoted to laboratory research on tritiated waste management. However, since all experimental activities planned for the execution in ETHEL will by itselves generate tritiated wastes, current strategies and practices to be applied for the routine management of these wastes need also to be defined. To attain this target an adequate background information must be provided, which is the intent of this report. Through an exhaustive literature survey tritiated waste management options till now investigated or currently applied in several countries have been assessed. A particular importance has been attached to the tritium leach test programmes, whose results enable to assess the tritium retention efficiency of the various waste immobilization options. The conclusions resulting from the overall assessment are presented

  12. Tritium immobilization and packaging using metal hydrides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtslander, W.J.; Yaraskavitch, J.M.

    1981-04-01

    Tritium recovered from CANDU heavy water reactors will have to be packaged and stored in a safe manner. Tritium will be recovered in the elemental form, T 2 . Metal tritides are effective compounds in which to immobilize the tritium as a stable non-reactive solid with a high tritium capacity. The technology necessary to prepare hydrides of suitable metals, such as titanium and zirconium, have been developed and the properties of the prepared materials evaluated. Conceptual designs of packages for containing metal tritides suitable for transportation and long-term storage have been made and initial testing started. (author)

  13. 76 FR 53842 - Irish Potatoes Grown in Colorado; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 3

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-30

    ...; Modification of the Handling Regulation for Area No. 3 AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION... Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601-612), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has considered the economic.... * * * * * Dated: August 19, 2011. David R. Shipman, Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service. [FR Doc...

  14. Tritium fuel cycle modeling and tritium breeding analysis for CFETR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Hongli; Pan, Lei; Lv, Zhongliang; Li, Wei; Zeng, Qin, E-mail: zengqin@ustc.edu.cn

    2016-05-15

    Highlights: • A modified tritium fuel cycle model with more detailed subsystems was developed. • The mean residence time method applied to tritium fuel cycle calculation was updated. • Tritium fuel cycle analysis for CFETR was carried out. - Abstract: Attaining tritium self-sufficiency is a critical goal for fusion reactor operated on the D–T fuel cycle. The tritium fuel cycle models were developed to describe the characteristic parameters of the various elements of the tritium cycle as a tool for evaluating the tritium breeding requirements. In this paper, a modified tritium fuel cycle model with more detailed subsystems and an updated mean residence time calculation method was developed based on ITER tritium model. The tritium inventory in fueling system and in plasma, supposed to be important for part of the initial startup tritium inventory, was considered in the updated mean residence time method. Based on the model, the tritium fuel cycle analysis of CFETR (Chinese Fusion Engineering Testing Reactor) was carried out. The most important two parameters, the minimum initial startup tritium inventory (I{sub m}) and the minimum tritium breeding ratio (TBR{sub req}) were calculated. The tritium inventories in steady state and tritium release of subsystems were obtained.

  15. Measurements of tritium retention and removal on TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skinner, C.H.; Blanchard, W.; Kamperschroer, J.

    1996-05-01

    Recent experiments on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) have afforded an opportunity to measure the retention of tritium in a graphite limiter that is subject to erosion, codeposition and high neutron flux. The tritium was injected by both gas puff and neutral beams. The isotopic mix of hydrogenic recycling was measured spectroscopically and the tritium fraction T/(H+D+T) increased to as high as 75%. Some tritium was pumped out during the experimental run and some removed in a subsequent campaign using various clean-up techniques. While the short term retention of tritium was high, various conditioning techniques were successful in removing ∼ 8,000 Ci and restoring the tritium inventory to a level well below the administrative limit

  16. Tritium interactions with steel and construction materials in fusion devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dickson, R.S.

    1990-11-01

    The literature on the interactions of tritium and tritiated water with metals, glasses, ceramics, concrete, paints, polymers and other organic materials is reviewed in this report Some of the processes affecting the amount of tritium found on various materials, such as permeation, sorption and the conversion of tritium found on various materials, such as permeation, sorption and conversion of elemental tritium (T 2 ) to tritiated water (HTO), are also briefly outlined. Tritium permeation in steels is fairly well understood, but effects of surface preparation and coatings on sorption are not yet clear. Permeation of T 2 into other metals with cleaned surfaces has been studied thoroughly at high temperature, and the effect of surface oxidation has also been explored. The room-temperature permeation rates of low-permeability metals with cleaned surfaces are much faster than indicated by high-temperature results, because of grain-boundary diffusion. Elastomers have been studied to a certain extent, but some mechanisms of interaction with tritium gas and sorbed tritium are unclear. Ceramics have some of the lowest sorption and permeation rates, but ceramic coatings on stainless steels do not lower permeation or tritium as effectively as coatings obtained by oxidation of the steel, probably because of cracking caused by differences in thermal expansion coefficient. Studies on concrete are in their early stages; they show that sorption of tritiated water on concrete is a major concern in cleanup of releases of elemental tritium into air in tritium handling facilities. Some of the codes for modelling releases and sorption of T 2 and HTO contain unproven assumptions about sorption and T 2 → HTO conversion. Several experimental programs will be required in order to clear up ambiguities in previous work and to determine parameters for materials which have not yet been investigated. (146 refs., tab.)

  17. Mass transfer behavior of tritium from air to water through the water surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takata, Hiroki; Nishikawa, Masabumi; Kamimae, Kozo

    2005-01-01

    It is anticipated that a certain amount of tritiated water exists in the atmosphere of tritium handling facilities, and it is recognized that the hazardous potential of tritiated water is rather high. Then, it is important to grasp the behavior of tritiated water for preserving of the radiation safety. The mass transfer behavior of tritium from air to water through the water surface was discussed in this study. The evaporation rate of water and the condensation rate of water were experimentally examined from measurement of change of the weight of distilled water. The tritium transfer rate from the tritiated water in air to the distilled water was also experimentally examined by using a liquid scintillation counter. Experimental results about change of tritium level in a small beaker placed in the atmosphere with tritiated water showed that diffusion of tritium in water and gas flow in the atmosphere gives considerable effect on tritium transfer. The estimation method of the tritium transfer made in this study was applied to explain the data at The Japan Atomic Power Company second power station at Tsuruga and good agreement was obtained. (author)

  18. R and D of tritium technology as SHI (Sumitomo Heavy Industries)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yokogawa, N.

    1997-01-01

    Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI) participated in an R and D programme on tritium processing for the first time in 1967 by joining the advanced thermal reactor project. (The thermal reactor is cooled by light water and moderated by heavy water.) From that time SHI has developed various kind of tritium handling technologies. On the basis of cooperation with Sulzer (Sulzer Chemtech Ltd. Switzerland), SHI developed a system for removing waste water for fuel reprocessing plants by water distillation technology. In the field of fusion technology, SHI has developed a hydrogen isotope separation system by cryogenic distillation and thermal diffusion methods, and a tritium storage bed. Fundamental data required for the system design were obtained through the production and operation of the above prototype systems. Recently, SHI has also been taking part in the design and planning of ITER. In the future, along with ITER design, SHI will aim at developing tritium measuring technology. (author)

  19. Overview of the performance of the JET active gas handling system during and after DTE1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laesser, R.; Atkins, G.; Bell, A.

    1999-02-01

    The JET Active Gas Handling System (AGHS) was designed, built and commissioned to handle safely radioactive tritium gas mixtures, to supply tritium (T 2 ) and deuterium (D 2 ) to the JET torus, to process the exhaust gases with the main purpose to enrich and re-use T 2 and D 2 , to detritiate tritiated impurities and to keep discharges far below the approved daily release limits. In addition, the AGHS had to supply the necessary ventilation air streams during maintenance or repair inside or outside of the AGHS building. During the first Deuterium-Tritium Experiment (DTE1) at JET in 1997 the AGHS fulfilled all these tasks in an excellent manner. No unauthorised or unplanned tritium releases occurred and no operational delays were caused by the AGHS. In fact, this was the first true demonstration that quantities of tritium in the tens of grams range can be processed and recycled safely and efficiently in a large fusion device. At the start of DTE1 20 g of tritium were available on the JET site. About 100 g of tritium were supplied from the AGHS to the users which necessitated the recycling of tritium at least five times. Approximately 220 tritium plasma shots were performed during DTE1. Large amounts of tritium were temporarily trapped in the torus. This overview presents the performance of the whole AGHS during DTE1 as well as general aspects such as the preparation for DTE1; the quantities of gases supplied from the AGHS to the users and pumped back to the AGHS; tritium accountancy; interlock systems; failure of equipment; and gives detailed information of the gas processing in each subsystem of the AGHS. As a consequence of the performance of the AGHS during DTE1 we can state confidently that the AGHS is ready for further Deuterium-Tritium Experiments. (author)

  20. Universal tritium transmitter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cordaro, J. V.; Wood, M.

    2008-01-01

    At the Savannah River Site and throughout the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) tritium is measured using Ion or Kanne Chambers. Tritium flowing through an Ion Chamber emits beta particles generating current flow proportional to tritium radioactivity. Currents in the 1 x 10 -15 A to 1 x 10 -6 A are measured. The distance between the Ion Chamber and the electrometer in NNSA facilities can be over 100 feet. Currents greater than a few micro-amperes can be measured with a simple modification. Typical operating voltages of 500 to 1000 Volts and piping designs require that the Ion Chamber be connected to earth ground. This grounding combined with long cable lengths and low currents requires a very specialized preamplifier circuit. In addition, the electrometer must be able to supply 'fail safe' alarm signals which are used to alert personnel of a tritium leak, trigger divert systems preventing tritium releases to the environment and monitor stack emissions as required by the United States federal Government and state governments. Ideally the electrometer would be 'self monitoring'. Self monitoring would reduce the need for constant checks by maintenance personnel. For example at some DOE facilities monthly calibration and alarm checks must be performed to ensure operation. NNSA presently uses commercially available electrometers designed specifically for this critical application. The problems with these commercial units include: ground loops, high background currents, inflexibility and susceptibility to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) which includes RF and Magnetic fields. Existing commercial electrometers lack the flexibility to accommodate different Ion Chamber designs required by the gas pressure, type of gas and range. Ideally the electrometer could be programmed for any expected gas, range and high voltage output. Commercially available units do not have 'fail safe' self monitoring capability. Electronics used to measure extremely low current must have

  1. Statistical Analysis of Environmental Tritium around Wolsong Site

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Ju Youl [FNC Technology Co., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-04-15

    To find the relationship among airborne tritium, tritium in rainwater, TFWT (Tissue Free Water Tritium) and TBT (Tissue Bound Tritium), statistical analysis is conducted based on tritium data measured at KHNP employees' house around Wolsong nuclear power plants during 10 years from 1999 to 2008. The results show that tritium in such media exhibits a strong seasonal and annual periodicity. Tritium concentration in rainwater is observed to be highly correlated with TFWT and directly transmitted to TFWT without delay. The response of environmental radioactivity of tritium around Wolsong site is analyzed using time-series technique and non-parametric trend analysis. Tritium in the atmosphere and rainwater is strongly auto-correlated by seasonal and annual periodicity. TFWT concentration in pine needle is proven to be more sensitive to rainfall phenomenon than other weather variables. Non-parametric trend analysis of TFWT concentration within pine needle shows a increasing slope in terms of confidence level of 95%. This study demonstrates a usefulness of time-series and trend analysis for the interpretation of environmental radioactivity relationship with various environmental media.

  2. Tritium: An analysis of key environmental and dosimetric questions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Till, J.E.; Meyer, H.R.; Etnier, E.L.; Bomar, E.S.; Gentry, R.D.; Killough, G.G.; Rohwer, P.S.; Tennery, V.J.; Travis, C.C.

    1980-05-01

    This document summarizes new theoretical and experimental data that may affect the assessment of environmental releases of tritium and analyzes the significance of this information in terms of the dose to man. Calculated doses resulting from tritium releases to the environment are linearly dependent upon the quality factor chosen for tritium beta radiation. A reevaluation of the tritium quality factor by the ICRP is needed; a value of 1.7 would seem to be more justifiable than the old 1.0 value. A new exposure model is proposed, based primarily upon the approach recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Employing a /open quotes/typical/close quotes/ LMFBR reprocessing facility source term, a /open quotes/base case/close quotes/ dose commitment to total body (for a maximally exposed individual) was calculated to be 4.0 /times/ 10/sup /minus/2/ mSv, with 3.2 /times/ 10/sup /minus// mSv of the dose due to intake of tritium. The study analyzes models which exist for evaluating the buildup of global releases of tritium from man-made sources. Scenarios for the release of man-made tritium to the environment and prediction of collective dose commitment to future generations suggest that the dose from nuclear weapons testing will be less than that from nuclear energy even though the weapons source term is greater than that for any of our energy scenarios

  3. Handling, assessment, transport and disposal of tritiated waste materials at JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newbert, G.; Haigh, A.; Atkins, G.

    1995-01-01

    All types of JET radioactive wastes are received for disposal at the Waste Handling Facility (WHF) which features a waste sorting and sampling station, a glove box, a compactor, and packaging and transfer systems. The WHF is operated as a contamination control area with monitored tritium discharges. Two main types of tritium monitors used are liquid scintillation counters and ionization chambers, and samples of various components and materials have now been assessed for tritium. The results so far indicate a widespread of tritium levels from 2Bq/g for cold gas transfer lines to 200kBq/g for in-vessel tiles. General soft housekeeping waste is assessed by a sniffing technique which has a limit of detection corresponding to 120Bq/g. Investigation of improved methods of tritium measurement and of component detritiation was made to facilitate future waste disposal. 8 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

  4. Tritium test of the tritium processing components under the Annex III US-Japan Collaboration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konishi, Satoshi; Yoshida, Hiroshi; Naruse, Yuji; Binning, K.E.; Carlson, R.V.; Bartlit, J.R.; Anderson, J.L.

    1993-03-01

    The process ready components for Fuel Cleanup System were tested at the TSTA under the US-Japan Collaboration program. Palladium diffuser for tritium purification and Ceramic Electrolysis Cell for decomposition of tritiated water respectively were tested with pure tritium for years. The characteristics of the components with hydrogen isotopes, effects of impurities, and long-term reliability of the components were studied. It was concluded that these components are suitable and attractive for fusion fuel processing systems. (author)

  5. Internal dose from tritium at Wolsung nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hee Geun Kim; Jeong Yull Dho; Myung Jae Song

    1995-01-01

    Tritium is produced in large quantities at heavy water nuclear power reactors via the neutron activation reaction 2 H(n,γ) 3 H. At Wolsung nuclear power plant which has a CANDU reactor, the tritium concentrations in coolant and in moderator systems are 1.5 Ci/Kg-D 2 O and 35 Ci/kg-D 2 O, respectively, after 12 years of operation. The airborne tritium concentration in main access area is normally less than 5 MPCa except short-term peaks. The average tritium concentrations in main access controlled areas are normally less than 100 MPCa. Tritium is mainly present in the air of workplace of CANDU reactors as a tritiated water vapour. Airborne tritiated water vapour enters the workers body via inhalation and absorption through skin and can result in a significant dose. The occupational doses from tritium at Wolsung NPP have been maintained below 1 man-Sv per year so far. The tritium contribution to the total plant man-Sv changes between 30 percent and 50 percent. For the mitigation of tritium inhalation, various protective equipment are being used at Wolsung NPP. The respirator system was devised at Wolsung NPP in order to remove tritiated water vapours from the inhaled air. A respirator is connected to a small plastic bottle filled with ice cubes. The system devised shows a good tritium removal efficiency. The air pressure drop through the ice cubes is minimal. The operation cost of the system is also very cheap. Further mitigation of tritium inhalation is heavily dependant on the source term reduction. One of the ultimate solutions is to introduce a tritium removal facility. (author). 7 figs., 3 tabs

  6. A sub-boiling distillation method for the preparation of low carbon content water from urine samples for tritium measurement by liquid scintillation counting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogawa, Norio; Makide, Yoshihiro

    1999-01-01

    A new preparation method was developed for obtaining low carbon content water from urine samples for the measurement of tritium by a liquid scintillation counter. The method uses a simple and convenient subboiling distillation bottle. Many urine samples have been purified by this method and the change of tritium level in a tritium-handling radiation-worker was observed

  7. Physical inventory by use of modeling for the tritium aqueous waste recovery system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sienkiewicz, C.J.; Lentz, J.E.; Wiggins, D.V.

    1988-01-01

    Physical inventory requirements for the Tritium Aqueous Waste Recovery System (TAWRS) presented constraints that required unique solutions. Available analytical techniques for which sound measurement control practices existed could not be readily adapted to the system without significant modifications and expense. Based on the assumption that would accurately estimate total system inventory given a few key measurements, a model was developed for TAWRS. Tritium concentrations in two streams, the tritiated feed stream to the process and the tritiated hydrogen stream generated by the electrolysis cells, provided the key values to the model. The proposed mathematical model relates the tritium concentration throughout the system to the tritium concentration in these two streams. Testing of the system using low-level tritiated feed water was conducted to characterize tritium distribution in the system and to relate key values to total inventory. 4 refs., 2 figs.,

  8. Spent nuclear fuel shipping cask handling capabilities of commercial light water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daling, P.M.; Konzek, G.J.; Lezberg, A.J.; Votaw, E.F.; Collingham, M.I.

    1985-04-01

    This report describes an evaluation of the cask handling capabilities of those reactors which are operating or under construction. A computerized data base that includes cask handling information was developed with information from the literature and utility-supplied data. The capability of each plant to receive and handle existing spent fuel shipping casks was then evaluated. Modal fractions were then calculated based on the results of these evaluations and the quantities of spent fuel projected to be generated by commercial nuclear power plants through 1998. The results indicated that all plants are capable of receiving and handling truck casks. Up to 118 out of 130 reactors (91%) could potentially handle the larger and heavier rail casks if the maximum capability of each facility is utilized. Design and analysis efforts and physical modifications to some plants would be needed to achieve this high rail percentage. These modifications would be needed to satisfy regulatory requirements, increase lifting capabilities, develop rail access, or improve other deficiencies. The remaining 12 reactors were determined to be capable of handling only the smaller truck casks. The percentage of plants that could receive and handle rail casks in the near-term would be reduced to 64%. The primary reason for a plant to be judged incapable of handling rail casks in the near-term was a lack of rail access. The remaining 36% of the plants would be limited to truck shipments. The modal fraction calculations indicated that up to 93% of the spent fuel accumulated by 1998 could be received at federal storage or disposal facilities via rail (based on each plant's maximum capabilities). If the near-term cask handling capabilities are considered, the rail percentage is reduced to 62%

  9. Tritium transport calculations for the IFMIF Tritium Release Test Module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Freund, Jana, E-mail: jana.freund@kit.edu; Arbeiter, Frederik; Abou-Sena, Ali; Franza, Fabrizio; Kondo, Keitaro

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • Delivery of material data for the tritium balance in the IFMIF Tritium Release Test Module. • Description of the topological models in TMAP and the adapted fusion-devoted Tritium Permeation Code (FUS-TPC). • Computation of release of tritium from the breeder solid material into the purge gas. • Computation of the loss of tritium over the capsule wall, rig hull, container wall and purge gas return line. - Abstract: The IFMIF Tritium Release Test Module (TRTM) is projected to measure online the tritium release from breeder ceramics and beryllium pebble beds under high energy neutron irradiation. Tritium produced in the pebble bed of TRTM is swept out continuously by a purge gas flow, but can also permeate into the module's metal structures, and can be lost by permeation to the environment. According analyses on the tritium inventory are performed to support IFMIF plant safety studies, and to support the experiment planning. This paper describes the necessary elements for calculation of the tritium transport in the Tritium Release Test Module as follows: (i) applied equations for the tritium balance, (ii) material data from literature and (iii) the topological models and the computation of the five different cases; namely release of tritium from the breeder solid material into the purge gas, loss of tritium over the capsule wall, rig hull, container wall and purge gas return line in detail. The problem of tritium transport in the TRTM has been studied and analyzed by the Tritium Migration Analysis Program (TMAP) and the adapted fusion-devoted Tritium Permeation Code (FUS-TPC). TMAP has been developed at INEEL and now exists in Version 7. FUS-TPC Code was written in MATLAB with the original purpose to study the tritium transport in Helium Cooled Lead Lithium (HCLL) blanket and in a later version the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) blanket by [6] (Franza, 2012). This code has been further modified to be applicable to the TRTM. Results from the

  10. Tritium transport calculations for the IFMIF Tritium Release Test Module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freund, Jana; Arbeiter, Frederik; Abou-Sena, Ali; Franza, Fabrizio; Kondo, Keitaro

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Delivery of material data for the tritium balance in the IFMIF Tritium Release Test Module. • Description of the topological models in TMAP and the adapted fusion-devoted Tritium Permeation Code (FUS-TPC). • Computation of release of tritium from the breeder solid material into the purge gas. • Computation of the loss of tritium over the capsule wall, rig hull, container wall and purge gas return line. - Abstract: The IFMIF Tritium Release Test Module (TRTM) is projected to measure online the tritium release from breeder ceramics and beryllium pebble beds under high energy neutron irradiation. Tritium produced in the pebble bed of TRTM is swept out continuously by a purge gas flow, but can also permeate into the module's metal structures, and can be lost by permeation to the environment. According analyses on the tritium inventory are performed to support IFMIF plant safety studies, and to support the experiment planning. This paper describes the necessary elements for calculation of the tritium transport in the Tritium Release Test Module as follows: (i) applied equations for the tritium balance, (ii) material data from literature and (iii) the topological models and the computation of the five different cases; namely release of tritium from the breeder solid material into the purge gas, loss of tritium over the capsule wall, rig hull, container wall and purge gas return line in detail. The problem of tritium transport in the TRTM has been studied and analyzed by the Tritium Migration Analysis Program (TMAP) and the adapted fusion-devoted Tritium Permeation Code (FUS-TPC). TMAP has been developed at INEEL and now exists in Version 7. FUS-TPC Code was written in MATLAB with the original purpose to study the tritium transport in Helium Cooled Lead Lithium (HCLL) blanket and in a later version the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) blanket by [6] (Franza, 2012). This code has been further modified to be applicable to the TRTM. Results from the

  11. Transfer and incorporation of tritium in mammals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoek, J. van den; Juan, N.B.

    1979-01-01

    The metabolism of tritium in mammals has been studied in a number of laboratories which have participated in the IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme on the Behaviour of Tritium in the Environment. The results of these studies are discussed and related to data obtained elsewhere. The animals studied are small laboratory and domestic animals. Tritium has been administered as THO, both in single and long-term dosing experiments, and also as organically bound tritium. The biological half-life of tritium in the body water pool has been determined in different species. The following values have been found: 1.1 days in mice; 13.2 days in kangaroo rats; 3.8 days in pigs; 4.1 days in lactating versus 8.3 in non-lactating goats and 3.1-4.0 days in lactating cows and steers. Much attention has been paid to the incorporation of tritium into organic constituents, both in the animal organism (organs, tissues) and in the secretions of the animal after continuous administration of tritium, mostly as THO. When compared with tritium levels in body water, and expressed as the ratio of specific activities, values of 0.25 and 0.40 have been found in mice liver and testis respectively. In cow's milk, these ratios vary from 0.30 for casein to 0.60 for lactose. The transfer of tritium into milk after continuous ingestion of THO by a lactating cow is about 1.50% of the daily ingested tritium per litre of milk. Some results of experiments, utilizing organically bound tritium, are also presented. (author)

  12. Tritium target performance during an LBLOCA in a PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reid, B.D.

    1996-01-01

    In December 1995, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a preferred strategy for acquiring a new supply of tritium. That strategy is based on pursuing the two most promising production alternatives. These alternatives include either constructing an accelerator-produced tritium system for tritium production or procuring an existing commercial light water reactor or irradiation services from such a reactor to irradiate tritium targets. This paper discusses the safety performance of a tritium target in a commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR). The current conceptual design for the light water tritium targets is quite similar, in terms of external dimensions and materials, to early designs for stainless steel clad discrete burnable absorbers used in PWRs. The tritium targets nominally consist of an annular lithium aluminate pellet wrapped in a Zircaloy-4 getter and clad with Type 316 stainless steel

  13. Design options to minimize tritium inventories at Savannah River

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Klein, J.E., E-mail: james.klein@srnl.doe.gov; Wilson, J.; Heroux, K.J.; Poore, A.S.; Babineau, D.W.

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • La-Ni-Al alloys are used as tritium storage materials and retain He-3. • La-Ni-Al He-3 effects decrease useable process tritium inventory. • Use of Pd or depleted uranium beds decreases process tritium inventories. • Reduced inventory tritium facilities will lower public risk. - Abstract: Large quantities of tritium are stored and processed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) Tritium Facilities. In many design basis accidents (DBAs), it is assumed the entire tritium inventory of the in-process vessels are released from the facility and the site for inclusion in public radiological dose calculations. Pending changes in public dose calculation methodologies are driving the need for smaller in-process tritium inventories to be released during DBAs. Reducing the in-process tritium inventory will reduce the unmitigated source term for public dose calculations and will also reduce the production demand for a lower inventory process. This paper discusses process design options to reduce in-process tritium inventories. A Baseline process is defined to illustrate the impact of removing or replacing La-Ni-Al alloy tritium storage beds with palladium (Pd) or depleted uranium (DU) storage beds on facility in-process tritium inventories. Elimination of La-Ni-Al alloy tritium storage beds can reduce in-process tritium inventories by over 1.5 kg, but alternate process technologies may needed to replace some functions of the removed beds.

  14. Design options to minimize tritium inventories at Savannah River

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, J.E.; Wilson, J.; Heroux, K.J.; Poore, A.S.; Babineau, D.W.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • La-Ni-Al alloys are used as tritium storage materials and retain He-3. • La-Ni-Al He-3 effects decrease useable process tritium inventory. • Use of Pd or depleted uranium beds decreases process tritium inventories. • Reduced inventory tritium facilities will lower public risk. - Abstract: Large quantities of tritium are stored and processed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) Tritium Facilities. In many design basis accidents (DBAs), it is assumed the entire tritium inventory of the in-process vessels are released from the facility and the site for inclusion in public radiological dose calculations. Pending changes in public dose calculation methodologies are driving the need for smaller in-process tritium inventories to be released during DBAs. Reducing the in-process tritium inventory will reduce the unmitigated source term for public dose calculations and will also reduce the production demand for a lower inventory process. This paper discusses process design options to reduce in-process tritium inventories. A Baseline process is defined to illustrate the impact of removing or replacing La-Ni-Al alloy tritium storage beds with palladium (Pd) or depleted uranium (DU) storage beds on facility in-process tritium inventories. Elimination of La-Ni-Al alloy tritium storage beds can reduce in-process tritium inventories by over 1.5 kg, but alternate process technologies may needed to replace some functions of the removed beds.

  15. Retrospective evaluation of tritium fallout by tree-ring analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozak, K.; Biro, T.; Golder, F.; Rank, D.; Rajner, V.; Staudner, F.

    1993-01-01

    Tritium analyses of tree-ring cellulose were made to test its suitability for retrospective evaluation of a local tritium fallout. Several spruce trees were taken from an Austrian alpine area where tritium contamination of May 1974 precipitation had been detected. Wood from the annual growth rings of 1973, 1974 and 1975 was separated and the cellulose extracted. After isotopic equilibration with dead water, cellulose was combusted to yield water, whose tritium concentration was measured by liquid scintillation counting. Rigorous statistical treatment proved the significance of the increased tritium concentration caused by the tritium anomaly, which occurred during the growing season. The long-term trends of local atmospheric tritium, including the 1974 peak, were also well reflected by analysis of a 24-year ring sequence from a single tree in the contaminated area. The tritium data gained by the given method can be used at present qualitatively and a better understanding of the possible sources of contamination is required in order that the quantitative criteria be satisfied. (Author)

  16. Tritium storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hircq, B.

    1990-01-01

    This document represents a synthesis relative to tritium storage. After indicating the main storage particularities as regards tritium, storages under gaseous and solid form are after examined before establishing choices as a function of the main criteria. Finally, tritium storage is discussed regarding tritium devices associated to Fusion Reactors and regarding smaller devices [fr

  17. An assessment method of long-term radiation impacts to environment and public individual from tritium discharged by inland NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shangguan Zhihong; Huang Yanjun; Tao Yunliang

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, an assessment method of environmental impacts from long-term releases of tritium of inland nuclear power plant is proposed; the tritium concentrations in different environmental materials, including the two main chemical form HTO and OBT. and the radiation dose to public individuals including drinking water, food, inhalation. skin adsorption, are estimated based on the method and environmental parameters from typical inland NPP. The two discharge pathways, gaseous and liquid, are considered with particular concerns to drinking and irrigation ascribed to liquid discharge. This study would contribute to the assessment techniques of environmental impacts and safety of inland NPP. (authors)

  18. Issues Associated with Tritium Legacy Materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mills, Michael

    2008-01-01

    term study; - Molecular sieves containing adsorbed tritiated water; - Containers used to store 3 He (containing trace quantities of tritium); - Miscellaneous containers housing 'as yet' un-identified materials. AWE has developed a plan to manage, process and dispose of legacy tritium materials applying treatment methodologies that protect the environment and minimise waste arisings. This has been accomplished through the implementation of the well established BPM process

  19. The synthesis of a tritium, carbon-14, and stable isotope-labeled cathepsin C inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Paul; Bragg, Ryan A; Caffrey, Moya; Ericsson, Cecilia; Hickey, Michael J; Kingston, Lee P; Elmore, Charles S

    2017-02-01

    As part of a medicinal chemistry program aimed at developing a highly potent and selective cathepsin C inhibitor, tritium, carbon-14, and stable isotope-labeled materials were required. The synthesis of tritium-labeled methanesulfonate 5 was achieved via catalytic tritiolysis of a chloro precursor, albeit at a low radiochemical purity of 67%. Tritium-labeled AZD5248 was prepared via a 3-stage synthesis, utilizing amide-directed hydrogen isotope exchange. Carbon-14 and stable isotope-labeled AZD5248 were successfully prepared through modifications of the medicinal chemistry synthetic route, enabling the use of available labeled intermediates. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Water detritiation processing of JET purified waste water using the TRENTA facility at Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Michling, R., E-mail: robert.michling@kit.edu; Bekris, N.; Cristescu, I.; Lohr, N.; Plusczyk, C.; Welte, S.; Wendel, J.

    2013-10-15

    Highlights: • Operation of a water detritiation facility under optimized conditions for high detritiation performances. • Improvement of operational procedures to process tritiated waste water. • Handling and reduction of tritiated waste water to achieve enriched low volume tritiated water for sufficient storage. • Demonstration of the efficient availability of the TRENTA WDS facility for technical scale operation. -- Abstract: A Water Detritiation System (WDS) is required for any Fusion machine in order to process tritiated waste water, which is accumulated in various subsystems during operation and maintenance. Regarding the European procurement packages for the ITER tritium fuel cycle, the WDS test facility TRENTA applying the Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange (CECE) process was developed, installed and is currently in operation at the Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK). Besides the on-going R and D work for the design of ITER WDS, the current status of the TRENTA facility provides the option to utilize the WDS for processing tritiated water. Therefore, in the framework of the EFDA JET Fusion Technology Work Programme 2011, the TLK was able to offer the capability on a representative scale to process tritiated water, which was produced during normal operation at JET. The task should demonstrate the availability of the CECE process to handle and detritiate the water in terms of tritium enrichment and volume reduction. The operational program comprised the processing of purified tritiated water from JET, with a total volume of 180 l and an activity of 74 GBq. The paper will give an introduction to the TRENTA WDS facility and an overview of the operational procedure regarding tritiated water reduction. Data concerning required operation time, decontamination and enrichment performances and different operating procedures will be presented as well. Finally, a preliminary study on a technical implementation of processing the entire stock of JET

  1. Water detritiation processing of JET purified waste water using the TRENTA facility at Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michling, R.; Bekris, N.; Cristescu, I.; Lohr, N.; Plusczyk, C.; Welte, S.; Wendel, J.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Operation of a water detritiation facility under optimized conditions for high detritiation performances. • Improvement of operational procedures to process tritiated waste water. • Handling and reduction of tritiated waste water to achieve enriched low volume tritiated water for sufficient storage. • Demonstration of the efficient availability of the TRENTA WDS facility for technical scale operation. -- Abstract: A Water Detritiation System (WDS) is required for any Fusion machine in order to process tritiated waste water, which is accumulated in various subsystems during operation and maintenance. Regarding the European procurement packages for the ITER tritium fuel cycle, the WDS test facility TRENTA applying the Combined Electrolysis Catalytic Exchange (CECE) process was developed, installed and is currently in operation at the Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK). Besides the on-going R and D work for the design of ITER WDS, the current status of the TRENTA facility provides the option to utilize the WDS for processing tritiated water. Therefore, in the framework of the EFDA JET Fusion Technology Work Programme 2011, the TLK was able to offer the capability on a representative scale to process tritiated water, which was produced during normal operation at JET. The task should demonstrate the availability of the CECE process to handle and detritiate the water in terms of tritium enrichment and volume reduction. The operational program comprised the processing of purified tritiated water from JET, with a total volume of 180 l and an activity of 74 GBq. The paper will give an introduction to the TRENTA WDS facility and an overview of the operational procedure regarding tritiated water reduction. Data concerning required operation time, decontamination and enrichment performances and different operating procedures will be presented as well. Finally, a preliminary study on a technical implementation of processing the entire stock of JET

  2. Effect of Tritium on Cracking Threshold in 7075 Aluminum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duncan, A. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Morgan, M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2017-02-28

    The effect of long-term exposure to tritium gas on the cracking threshold (KTH) of 7075 Aluminum Alloy was investigated. The alloy is the material of construction for a cell used to contain tritium in an accelerator at Jefferson Laboratory designed for inelastic scattering experiments on nucleons. The primary safety concerns for the Jefferson Laboratory tritium cell is a tritium leak due to mechanical failure of windows from hydrogen isotope embrittlement, radiation damage, or loss of target integrity from accidental excessive beam heating due to failure of the raster or grossly mis-steered beam. Experiments were conducted to investigate the potential for embrittlement of the 7075 Aluminum alloy from tritium gas.

  3. Tritium conference days

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garnier-Laplace, J.; Lebaron-Jacobs, L.; Sene, M.; Devin, P.; Chretien, V.; Le Guen, B.; Guetat, Ph.; Baglan, N.; Ansoborlo, E.; Boyer, C.; Masson, M.; Bailly-Du-Bois, P.; Jenkinson, St.; Wakeford, R.; Saintigny, Y.; Romeo, P.H.; Thompson, P.; Leterq, D.; Chastagner, F.; Cortes, P.; Philippe, M.; Paquet, F.; Fournier, M.

    2009-01-01

    This document gathers the slides of the available presentations given during this conference day. Twenty presentations out of 21 are assembled in the document and deal with: 1 - tritium in the environment (J. Garnier-Laplace); 2 - status of knowledge about tritium impact on health (L. Lebaron-Jacobs); 3 - tritium, discrete but present everywhere (M. Sene); 4 - management of tritium effluents from Areva NC La Hague site - related impact and monitoring (P. Devin); 5 - tritium effluents and impact in the vicinity of EDF's power plants (V. Chretien and B. Le Guen); 6 - contribution of CEA-Valduc centre monitoring to the knowledge of atmospheric tritiated water transfers to the different compartments of the environment (P. Guetat); 7 - tritium analysis in environment samples: constraints and means (N. Baglan); 8 - organically-linked tritium: the analyst view (E. Ansoborlo); 9 - study of tritium transfers to plants via OBT/HTO air and OBT/HTO free (C. Boyer); 10 - tritium in the British Channel (M. Masson and P. Bailly-Du-Bois); 11 - tritium in British coastal waters (S. Jenkinson); 12 - recent results from epidemiology (R. Wakeford); 13 - effects of tritiated thymidine on hematopoietic stem cells (P.H. Romeo); 14 - tritium management issue in Canada: the point of view from authorities (P. Thompson); 15 - experience feedback of the detritiation process of Valduc centre (D. Leterq); 16 - difficulties linked with tritiated wastes confinement (F. Chastagner); 17 - optimisation of tritium management in the ITER project (P. Cortes); 18 - elements of thought about the management of tritium generated by nuclear facilities (M. Philippe); 19 - CIPR's position about the calculation of doses and risks linked with tritium exposure (F. Paquet); 20 - tritium think tanks (M. Fournier). (J.S.)

  4. Measurement of Tritium Surface Distribution on TFTR Bumper Limiter Tiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugiyama, K.; Tanabe, T.; Skinner, C.H.; Gentile, C.A.

    2004-01-01

    The tritium surface distribution on graphite tiles used in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) bumper limiter and exposed to TFTR deuterium-tritium (D-T) discharges from 1993 to 1997 was measured by the Tritium Imaging Plate Technique (TIPT). The TFTR bumper limiter shows both re-/co-deposition and erosion. The tritium images for all tiles measured are strongly correlated with erosion and deposition patterns, and long-term tritium retention was found in the re-/co-depositions and flakes. The CFC tiles located at erosion dominated areas clearly showed their woven structure in their tritium images owing to different erosion yields between fibers and matrix. Significantly high tritium retention was observed on all sides of the erosion tiles, indicating carbon transport via repetition of local erosion/deposition cycles

  5. Environmental monitoring for tritium in tritium separation facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varlam, Carmen; Stefanescu, Ioan; Steflea, Dumitru; Lazar, Roxana Elena

    2001-01-01

    The Cryogenic Pilot is an experimental project in the nuclear energy national research program, which has the aim of developing technologies for tritium and deuterium separation by cryogenic distillation. The experimental installation is located 15 km near the highest city of the area and 1 km near Olt River. An important chemical activity is developed in the area and chemical plants make up almost entire neighborhood of the Experimental Cryogenic Pilot. It is necessary to emphasize this aspect because the hall sewage system of the pilot is connected with the one of other three chemical plants from vicinity. This is the reason why we progressively established elements of an environmental monitoring program well in advance of tritium operation in order to determine baseline levels. The first step was the tritium level monitoring in environmental water and sewage from neighboring industrial activity. In this work, a low background liquid scintillation was used to determine tritium activity concentration according to ISO 9698/1998 standard. We measured drinking water, precipitation, river water, underground water and wastewater. The tritium level was between 10 TU and 27 TU what indicates that there is no source of tritium contamination in the neighborhood of Cryogenic Pilot. In order to determine baseline levels we decided to monitor monthly each location. In this paper it is presented a standard method used for tritium determination in water samples, the precautions needed to achieve reliable results and the evolution of tritium level in different location near the Experimental Pilot for Tritium and Deuterium Cryogenic Separation. (authors)

  6. Environmental monitoring for tritium at tritium separation facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varlam, C.; Stefanescu, I.; Steflea, D.; Lazar, R.E.

    2001-01-01

    The Cryogenic Pilot is an experimental project in the nuclear energy national research program, which has the aim of developing technologies for tritium and deuterium separation by cryogenic distillation. The experimental installation is located 15 km near the highest city of the area and 1 km near Olt River. An important chemical activity is developed in the area and the Experimental Cryogenic Pilot's, almost the entire neighborhood are chemical plants. It is necessary to emphasize this aspect because the sewerage system is connected with the other three chemical plants from the neighborhood. This is the reason that we progressively established elements of an environmental monitoring program well in advance of tritium operation in order to determine baseline levels. The first step was the tritium level monitoring in environmental water and waste water of industrial activity from neighborhood. In this work, a low background liquid scintillation is used to determine tritium activity concentration according to ISO 9698/1998. We measured drinking water, precipitation, river water, underground water and waste water. The tritium level was between 10 TU and 27 TU that indicates there is no source of tritium contamination in the neighborhood of Cryogenic Pilot. In order to determine baseline levels we decide to monitories monthly each location. In this paper a standard method is presented which it is used for tritium determination in water sample, the precautions needed in order to achieve reliable results, and the evolution of tritium level in different location near the Experimental Pilot Tritium and Deuterium Cryogenic Separation.(author)

  7. ITER Safety Task NID-5A, Subtask 1-1: Source terms and energies - initial tritium source terms. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fong, C.; Kalyanam, K.M.; Tanaka, M.R.; Sood, S.; Natalizio, A.; Delisle, M.

    1995-02-01

    The overall objective of the Early Safety and Environmental Characterization Study (ESECS) is to assess the environmental impact of tritium using appropriate assumptions on a hypothetical site for ITER, having the r eference s ite characteristics as proposed by the JCT. The objective of this work under the above subtask 1-1, NID-5a, is to determine environmental source terms (i.e., process source term x containment release fraction) for the fuel cycle and cooling systems. The work is based on inventories and process source terms (i.e., inventory x mobilization fraction), provided by others (under Task NID 3b). The results of this work form the basis for the determination, by others, of the off-site dose (i.e., environmental source term x dose/release ratio). For the determination of the environmental source terms, the TMAP4 code has been utilized (ref 1). This code is approved by ITER for safety assessment. Volume 3 is a compilation of appendices giving detailed results of the study

  8. ITER Safety Task NID-5A, Subtask 1-1: Source terms and energies - initial tritium source terms. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fong, C.; Kalyanam, K.M.; Tanaka, M.R.; Sood, S.; Natalizio, A.; Delisle, M.

    1995-02-01

    The overall objective of the Early Safety and Environmental Characterization Study (ESECS) is to assess the environmental impact of tritium using appropriate assumptions on a hypothetical site for ITER, having the r eference s ite characteristics as proposed by the JCT. The objective of this work under the above subtask 1-1, NID-5a, is to determine environmental source terms (i.e., process source term x containment release fraction) for the fuel cycle and cooling systems. The work is based on inventories and process source terms (i.e., inventory x mobilization fraction), provided by others (under Task NID 3b). The results of this work form the basis for the determination, by others, of the off-site dose (i.e., environmental source term x dose/release ratio). For the determination of the environmental source terms, the TMAP4 code has been utilized (ref 1). This code is approved by ITER for safety assessment. 6 refs

  9. Measurement of tritium with plastic scintillator surface improvement with plasma treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoshihara, Y.; Furuta, E. [Ochanomizu University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Ohyama, R.I.; Yokota, S. [Tokai University, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa (Japan); Kato, Y.; Yoshimura, T.; Ogiwara, K. [Hitachi Aloka Medical, Mure, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo (Japan)

    2015-03-15

    Tritium is usually measured by using a liquid scintillation counter. However, liquid scintillator used for measurement will become radioactive waste fluid. To solve this issue, we have developed a method of measuring tritium samples with plasma-treated plastic scintillator (PS)sheets (Plasma method). The radioactive sample is held between 2 PS sheets and the whole is enclosed in a a low-potassium glass vial. With the Plasma method of 2-min plasma treatment, we have obtained measurement efficiency of 48 ± 2 % for 2 min measurement of tritium except for tritiated water. The plasma treatment makes the PS surface rough and hydrophilic which contributes to improve the contact between tritium and PS. On the other hand, it needed almost 6 hours to obtain constant measurement efficiency. The reason was that the dry-up handling in the vial needed longer time to vaporize H{sub 2}O molecules than in the air. We tried putting silica gel beads into vials to remove H{sub 2}O molecules from PS sheet surface quickly. The silica gel beads worked well and we got constant measurement efficiency within 1-3 hours. Also, we tried using other kinds of PS treated with plasma to obtain higher measurement efficiencies of tritium samples.

  10. Use of Tritium Accelerator Mass Spectrometry for Tree Ring Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    LOVE, ADAM H.; HUNT, JAMES R.; ROBERTS, MARK L.; SOUTHON, JOHN R.; CHIARAPPA - ZUCCA, MARINA L.; DINGLEY, KAREN H.

    2010-01-01

    Public concerns over the health effects associated with low-level and long-term exposure to tritium released from industrial point sources have generated the demand for better methods to evaluate historical tritium exposure levels for these communities. The cellulose of trees accurately reflects the tritium concentration in the source water and may contain the only historical record of tritium exposure. The tritium activity in the annual rings of a tree was measured using accelerator mass spectrometry to reconstruct historical annual averages of tritium exposure. Milligram-sized samples of the annual tree rings from a Tamarix located at the Nevada Test Site are used for validation of this methodology. The salt cedar was chosen since it had a single source of tritiated water that was well-characterized as it varied over time. The decay-corrected tritium activity of the water in which the salt cedar grew closely agrees with the organically bound tritium activity in its annual rings. This demonstrates that the milligram-sized samples used in tritium accelerator mass spectrometry are suited for reconstructing anthropogenic tritium levels in the environment. PMID:12144257

  11. Investigation of non-magnetic alloys for the suppression of tritium permeation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-07-01

    The present work was aimed at identification of alloys which might combine low tritium permeation with other properties desired in fusion reactor vessels, heat exchangers, lithium-handling plumbing and other components likely to contain tritium. These properties include low radiation damage, low magnetic permeability, high temperature strength, and compatibility with potential heat transfer and blanket materials. The work consisted of two tasks: problem definition, and literature search and analysis. Task I was complicated by the incomplete status of fusion reactor development, particularly with respect to selection of coolant and blanket materials and temperatures. The approach taken was to establish a probable range of requirements

  12. Tritium in reprocessing plants: a study of the inventory, behavior, and the possibilities of separation of the tritium isotope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schnez, H.; Laser, M.; Merz, E.

    The path followed by tritium in reprocessing plants is described in quantitative terms based on the Purex and Thorex processes. Flowsheets are given for the Purex process which are on the one hand based on the present state of technology, but make provision at the same time for a recycling of the aqueous phase and a tritium separation. As an alternative approach the technical and economic aspects have been examined of a prior separation of the tritium after reduction of the fuel elements, followed by separation from the aqueous phase. The ultimate storage and transport of the separated tritium were included in the cost determination. The conclusion is reached as a result of the study that tritium separation is possible on scientific and technical grounds. The estimates made show the financial outlay to be less than 10 DM/GWh, but may on occasion be substantially higher, since no practical or industrial experience of the process is yet available

  13. Leaching of tritium from a cement composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuzuru, Hideo; Ito, Akihiko

    1978-10-01

    Leaching of tritium from cement composites into an aqueous phase has been studied to evaluate the safety of incorporation of the tritiated liquid waste into cement. Leaching tests were performed by the method recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Leaching fraction was measured as functions of waste-cement ratio (Wa/C), temperature of leachant and curing time. The tritium leachability of cement in the long term test follows the order: alumina cement portland cement slag cement. The fraction of tritium leached increases with increasing Wa/C and temperature and decreasing curing period. A deionized water as a leachant gives a slightly higher leachability than synthetic sea water. The amount leached of tritium from a 200 l drum size specimen was estimated on the basis of the above results. (author)

  14. Design and test about de tritium system to filling tritium glove box

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lei, Jiarong; Du, Yang; Yang, Yong

    2008-01-01

    In order to deal tritium permeated from inflating tritium system at the scene of inflating tritium, dealing waste tritium gas system was designed according to demand and action of dealing waste tritium gas from inflating tritium, and the data of character and volume about appliance of catalyst reaction and drying agent was calculated. Through the test at the scene of inflating tritium, it is result that dealing waste tritium gas system's efficiency reaches above 85% average in circulatory system, so that it can be used in practice extensively. (author)

  15. Development of a tritium recovery system from CANDU tritium removal facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Draghia, M.; Pasca, G.; Porcariu, F.

    2015-01-01

    The main purpose of the Tritium Recovery System (TRS) is to reduce to a maximum possible extent the release of tritium from the facility following a tritium release in confinement boundaries and also to have provisions to recover both elemental and vapors tritium from the purging gases during maintenance and components replacement from various systems processing tritium. This work/paper proposes a configuration of Tritium Recovery System wherein elemental tritium and water vapors are recovered in a separated, parallel manner. The proposed TRS configuration is a combination of permeators, a platinum microreactor (MR) and a trickle bed reactor (TBR) and consists of two branches: one branch for elemental tritium recovery from tritiated deuterium gas and the second one for tritium recovery from streams containing a significant amount of water vapours but a low amount, below 5%, of tritiated gas. The two branches shall work in a complementary manner in such a way that the bleed stream from the permeators shall be further processed in the MR and TBR in view of achieving the required decontamination level. A preliminary evaluation of the proposed TRS in comparison with state of the art tritium recovery system from tritium processing facilities is also discussed. (authors)

  16. Development of a tritium recovery system from CANDU tritium removal facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Draghia, M.; Pasca, G.; Porcariu, F. [SC.IS.TECH SRL, Timisoara (Romania)

    2015-03-15

    The main purpose of the Tritium Recovery System (TRS) is to reduce to a maximum possible extent the release of tritium from the facility following a tritium release in confinement boundaries and also to have provisions to recover both elemental and vapors tritium from the purging gases during maintenance and components replacement from various systems processing tritium. This work/paper proposes a configuration of Tritium Recovery System wherein elemental tritium and water vapors are recovered in a separated, parallel manner. The proposed TRS configuration is a combination of permeators, a platinum microreactor (MR) and a trickle bed reactor (TBR) and consists of two branches: one branch for elemental tritium recovery from tritiated deuterium gas and the second one for tritium recovery from streams containing a significant amount of water vapours but a low amount, below 5%, of tritiated gas. The two branches shall work in a complementary manner in such a way that the bleed stream from the permeators shall be further processed in the MR and TBR in view of achieving the required decontamination level. A preliminary evaluation of the proposed TRS in comparison with state of the art tritium recovery system from tritium processing facilities is also discussed. (authors)

  17. Subsystem software for TSTA [Tritium Systems Test Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mann, L.W.; Claborn, G.W.; Nielson, C.W.

    1987-01-01

    The Subsystem Control Software at the Tritium System Test Assembly (TSTA) must control sophisticated chemical processes through the physical operation of valves, motor controllers, gas sampling devices, thermocouples, pressure transducers, and similar devices. Such control software has to be capable of passing stringent quality assurance (QA) criteria to provide for the safe handling of significant amounts of tritium on a routine basis. Since many of the chemical processes and physical components are experimental, the control software has to be flexible enough to allow for trial/error learning curve, but still protect the environment and personnel from exposure to unsafe levels of radiation. The software at TSTA is implemented in several levels as described in a preceding paper in these proceedings. This paper depends on information given in the preceding paper for understanding. The top level is the Subsystem Control level

  18. Preparation of paraherquamide labeled with deueterium or tritium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blizzard, T.A.; Rosegay, A.; Mrozik, H.; Fisher, M.H. (Merck Sharp and Dohme Research Labs., Rahway, NJ (United States))

    1990-04-01

    Deprotonation of paraherquamide (1a) at C-24 and subsequent deuteration (or tritiation) is described. The procedure afforded 24-[sup 2]H-paraherquamide (1b) with 66% deuterium incorporation at C-24. Modification of the deuteration procedure to allow the introduction of tritium resulted in the preparation of 24-[sup 3]H-paraherquamide (1c) with specific activity 3.7Ci/mmol. (author).

  19. Polymeric media for tritium fixation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franz, J.A.; Burger, L.L.

    1975-01-01

    The synthesis and leach testing of several polymeric media for tritium fixation are presented. Tritiated bakelite, poly(acrylonitrile) and polystyrene successfully fixed tritium. Tritium leach rates at the tracer level appear to be negligible. Advantages and disadvantages of the processes are discussed, and further bench-scale investigations underway are reported. Rough cost estimates are presented for the different media and are compared with alternate approaches such as deep-well injection and long-term tank storage. Polymeric media costs are high compared to deep-well storage and are of the same order of magnitude per liter of water as for isotopic enrichment. With this limitation, polymeric media can be economically feasible only for highly concentrated tritiated wastes. It is recommended that the bakelite and polystyrene processes be examined on a larger scale to permit more accurate cost analysis and process design. (auth)

  20. Recovery of tritium from CANDU reactors, its storage and monitoring of its migration in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtslander, W.J.; Osborne, R.V.

    1979-07-01

    Tritium is produced in CANDU heavy water reactors mainly by neutron activation of deuterium. The typical production rate is 2.4 kCi per megawatt-year (89 TBq. per megawatt-year. In Pickering Generating Station the average concentration of tritium in the moderators has reached 16 Ci.kg -1 (0.6 TBq.kg -1 ) and in coolants, 0.5 Ci.kg -1 (0.02 TBq.kg -1 ). Concentrations will continue to increase towards an equilibrium determined by the production rate, the tritium decay rate and heavy water replacement. Tritium removal methods that are being considered for a pilot plant design are catalytic exchange of DTO with D 2 and electrolysis of D 2 O/DTO to provide feed for cryogenic distillation of D 2 /DT/T 2 . Storage methods for the removed tritium - as elemental gas, as metal hydrides and in cements - are also being investigated. Transport of tritiated wastes should not be a particularly difficult problem in light of extensive experience in transporting tritiated heavy water. Methods for determining the presence of tritium in the environment of any tritium handling facility are well established and have the capability of measuring concentrations of tritium down to current ambient values. (author)

  1. Tritium incorporation in corn and bean after an accute contamination with tritiated water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, H.A.; Archundia, C.; Bravo, G.; Nulman, R.; Ortiz Magana, J.R.

    1979-01-01

    Tritium produced by natural or artificial processes is set free in the environment, generally as tritiated water, which the plants use to produce organic compounds such as proteins, fats and carbohidrates. The metabolism of tritium depends on the chemical form in which it is found, transport studies of tritium in different ecosystems, and in particular in food chains, gradually have become more important as a result of the tritium increase in the environment. In Mexico, corn and beans have been studied due to their great importance in the human food chain. The determination of tritium in organic compounds (bound tritium) requires an efficient conversion to tritiated water. For this reason, in this work we have detailed a dry oxidation method, which is a modification of the method of Schoniger, which consists of combustion in oxygen initiated by a simple electrical device using a disposable nichrome resistance, which is also used as a sample carrier. Tritium determination is done by a liquid scintillation counter with quenching correction using an internal standard. Graphs of tritium activity are shown plotted against the time between the application of tritiated water and the time of harvest. The highest activity is found about the 18th day for corn and the 16th day for beans. The calculated values for the half-lives for corn and beans are approximately 56 and 43 days respectively. (author)

  2. STAR facility tritium accountancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pawelko, R. J.; Sharpe, J. P.; Denny, B. J.

    2008-01-01

    The Safety and Tritium Applied Research (STAR) facility has been established to provide a laboratory infrastructure for the fusion community to study tritium science associated with the development of safe fusion energy and other technologies. STAR is a radiological facility with an administrative total tritium inventory limit of 1.5 g (14,429 Ci) [1]. Research studies with moderate tritium quantities and various radionuclides are performed in STAR. Successful operation of the STAR facility requires the ability to receive, inventory, store, dispense tritium to experiments, and to dispose of tritiated waste while accurately monitoring the tritium inventory in the facility. This paper describes tritium accountancy in the STAR facility. A primary accountancy instrument is the tritium Storage and Assay System (SAS): a system designed to receive, assay, store, and dispense tritium to experiments. Presented are the methods used to calibrate and operate the SAS. Accountancy processes utilizing the Tritium Cleanup System (TCS), and the Stack Tritium Monitoring System (STMS) are also discussed. Also presented are the equations used to quantify the amount of tritium being received into the facility, transferred to experiments, and removed from the facility. Finally, the STAR tritium accountability database is discussed. (authors)

  3. Selection of fluids for tritium pumping systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chastagner, P.

    1984-02-01

    The degradation characteristics of three types of vacuum pump fluids, polyphenyl ethers, perfluoropolyethers and hydrocarbon oils were reviewed. Fluid selection proved to be a critical factor in the long-term performance of tritium pumping systems and subsequent tritium recovery operations. Thermal degradation and tritium radiolysis of pump fluids produce contaminants which can damage equipment and interfere with tritium recovery operations. General characteristics of these fluids are as follows: polyphenyl ether has outstanding radiation resistance, is very stable under normal diffusion pump conditions, but breaks down in the presence of oxygen at anticipated operating temperatures. Perfluoropolyether fluids are very stable and do not react chemically with most gases. Thermal and mechanical degradation products are inert, but the radiolysis products are very corrosive. Most of the degradation products of hydrogen oils are volatile and the principal radiolysis product is methane. Our studies show that polyphenyl ethers and hydrocarbon oils are the preferred fluids for use in tritium pumping systems. No corrosive materials are formed and most of the degradation products can be removed with suitable filter systems

  4. Development of tritium plant system for fusion reactors. Achievements in the 14-year US-Japan collaboration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishi, Masataka; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Shu, Wataru

    2003-01-01

    Fuel processing technology and tritium safe-handling technology have been developed through US/DOE-JAERI collaboration from 1987 till 2001, and the technologies to construct the tritium plant system of ITER have been made currently available. This paper overviews the major achievements of this collaborative researches over fourteen years, which were performed mainly at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The tritium plant system consists mainly of a fuel processing system, which includes a fuel cycle system and a blanket tritium recovery system, and a tritium confinement/removal system. The fuel cycle system recovers fuel from plasma exhaust gas and recycles it. In the collaboration, major key components and subsystems were developed, and the performance of the integrated system was successfully demonstrated over its one-month operation in which plasma exhaust model gas was processed at a processing rate of up to 1/6 level of the ITER. The technological basis of the fuel cycle system was thus established. Blanket tritium recovery technology was also successfully demonstrated using the TSTA system. Through the successful safe-operation of the TSTA, reliability of tritium confinement/removal system was verified basically. In addition, much data to confirm or enhance safety were accumulated by experiments such as intentional tritium release in a large room. Furthermore, distribution of tritium contamination in the vacuum vessel of the TFTR, a large tokamak of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), was investigated in this work. (author)

  5. Development of Tritium Plant System for Fusion Reactors - Achievements in the 14-year US-Japan Collaboration -

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishi, Masataka; Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Shu, Wataru

    Fuel processing technology and tritium safe-handling technology have been developed through US/DOE-JAERI collaboration from 1987 till 2001, and the technologies to construct the tritium plant system of ITER have been made currently available. This paper overviews the major achievements of this collaborative researches over fourteen years, which were performed mainly at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The tritium plant system consists mainly of a fuel processing system, which includes a fuel cycle system and a blanket tritium recovery system, and a tritium confinement/removal system. The fuel cycle system recovers fuel from plasma exhaust gas and recycles it. In the collaboration, major key components and subsystems were developed, and the performance of the integrated system was successfully demonstrated over its one-month operation in which plasma exhaust model gas was processed at a processing rate of up to 1/6 level of the ITER. The technological basis of the fuel cycle system was thus established. Blanket tritium recovery technology was also successfully demonstrated using the TSTA system. Through the successful safeoperation of the TSTA, reliability of tritium confinement/removal system was verified basically. In addition, much data to confirm or enhance safety were accumulated by experiments such as intentional tritium release in a large room. Furthermore,distribution of tritium contamination in the vacuum vessel of the TFTR, a large tokamak of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), was investigated in this work.

  6. Acute and long-term nutrient-led modifications of gene expression: potential role of SIRT1 as a central co-ordinator of short and longer-term programming of tissue function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holness, Mark J; Caton, Paul W; Sugden, Mary C

    2010-05-01

    Environmental factors can influence the acute and longer-term risks of developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Increasing evidence suggests that these effects can be achieved by modification of metabolic gene expression. These include acute changes in histone methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination and longer-term DNA silencing elicited by DNA methylation. Thus, an increased risk of disease may reflect acute or chronic stable modification of genes that regulate nutrient handling, leading to altered nutrient utilization (increased lipid oxidation at the expense of glucose utilization) and/or changes in the balance between nutrient storage and energy production, thereby favoring the development of obesity. The review addresses the hypothesis that early-life epigenetic programming of gene expression could be mirrored by changes in acute function of nuclear receptors, in particular the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, achieved by enzymes that are more conventionally involved in regulating DNA methylation and post-transcriptional modification of histones. Emphasis is placed on the potential importance of the protein deacetylase sirtuin-1 as a central co-ordinator. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. ITER Safety Task NID-5A, Subtask 1-1: Source terms and energies - initial tritium source terms. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fong, C.; Kalyanam, K.M.; Tanaka, M.R.; Sood, S.; Natalizio, A.; Delisle, M.

    1995-02-01

    The overall objective of the Early Safety and Environmental Characterization Study (ESECS) is to assess the environmental impact of tritium using appropriate assumptions on a hypothetical site for ITER, having the r eference s ite characteristics as proposed by the JCT. The objective of this work under the above subtask 1-1, NID-5a, is to determine environmental source terms (i.e., process source term x containment release fraction) for the fuel cycle and cooling systems. The work is based on inventories and process source terms (i.e., inventory x mobilization fraction), provided by others (under Task NID 3b). The results of this work form the basis for the determination, by others, of the off-site dose (i.e., environmental source term x dose/release ratio). For the determination of the environmental source terms, the TMAP4 code has been utilized (ref 1). This code is approved by ITER for safety assessment. Volume 2 is a compilation of appendices giving detailed results of the study. 5 figs

  8. Tritium release from lithium titanate, a low-activation tritium breeding material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kopasz, J.P.; Miller, J.M.; Johnson, C.E.

    1994-01-01

    The goals for fusion power are to produce energy in as safe, economical, and environmentally benign a manner as possible. To ensure environmentally sound operation low-activation materials should be used where feasible. The ARIES Tokamak Reactor Study has based reactor designs on the concept of using low-activation materials throughout the fusion reactor. For the tritium breeding blanket, the choices for low activation tritium breeding materials are limited. Lithium titanate is an alternative low-activation ceramic material for use in the tritium breeding blanket. To date, very little work has been done on characterizing the tritium release for lithium titanate. We have thus performed laboratory studies of tritium release from irradiated lithium titanate. The results indicate that tritium is easily removed from lithium titanate at temperatures as low as 600 K. The method of titanate preparation was found to affect the tritium release, and the addition of 0.1% H 2 to the helium purge gas did not improve tritium recovery. ((orig.))

  9. Tritium breeders and tritium permeation barrier coatings for fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamawaki, Michio; Kawamura, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

    2004-01-01

    A state of R and D of tritium breeders and tritium permeation barrier coatings for fusion reactor is explained. A list of candidate for tritium breeders consists of ceramics containing lithium, for examples, Li 2 O, Li 2 TiO 3 , Li 2 ZrO 3 , Li 4 SiO 4 and LiAlO 2 . The characteristics and form are described. The optimum particle size is from 1 to 10 μm. The production technologies of tritium breeders in the world are stated. Characteristics of ceramics with lithium as tritium breeders are compared. TiC, TiN/TiC, Al 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -P 2 O 5 are tritium permeation barrier coating materials. These production methods and evaluation of characteristics are explained. (S.Y.)

  10. Investigation of non-magnetic alloys for the suppression of tritium permeation. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-07-01

    This report describes a small (300 man hour) literature survey relating to the suppression of tritium loss by permeation through the walls of fusion reactors. The program was based on prior in-house Thermacore work to suppress hydrogen permeation into high temperature (800 0 C) heat pipes. The Thermacore approach involves selection of a steel with a small (.5 to 5%) aluminum content. The aluminum is diffused to the surface and oxidized. The present work was aimed at identification of alloys which might combine low tritium permeation with other properties desired in fusion reactor vessels, heat exchangers, lithium-handling plumbing and other components likely to contain tritium. These properties include low radiation damage, low magnetic permeability, high temperature strength, and compatibility with potential heat transfer and blanket materials. The work consisted of two tasks: Problem Definition and Literature Search and Analysis

  11. Studies on chemical phenomena of high concentration tritium water and organic compounds of tritium from viewpoint of the tritium confinement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Hayashi, Takumi; Iwai, Yasunori; Isobe, Kanetsugu; Hara, Masanori; Sugiyama, Takahiko; Okuno, Kenji

    2009-01-01

    As a part of the grant-in-aid for scientific research on priority areas entitled 'frontiers of tritium researches toward fusion reactors', coordinated two research programs on chemical phenomena of high concentration tritium water and organic compounds of tritium from view point of the tritium confinement have been conducted by the C01 team. The results are summarized as follows: (1) Chemical effects of the high concentration tritium water on stainless steels as structural materials of fusion reactors were investigated. Basic data on tritium behaviors at the metal-water interface and corrosion of metal in tritium water were obtained. (2) Development of the tritium confinement and extraction system for the circulating cooling water in the fusion reactor was studied. Improvement was obtained in the performance of a chemical exchange column and catalysts as major components of the water processing system. (J.P.N.)

  12. Tritium uptake by fish in a small stream

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eaton, D.; Murphy, C.E. Jr.

    1992-01-01

    The tritium concentration in the water from freeze drying and the water from combustion of the dry tissue was measured in fish (largemouth bass), stream macrophytes, and streamside vegetation at five sampling locations in Four Mile Branch on the Savannah River Site (SRS). Four Mile Branch has elevated tritium concentration, largely from migration of water through the soil from adjacent seepage basins that received industrial wastewater containing tritium. The stream water and the vegetation, through the food chain, are thought to be the two sources of tritium reaching the fish. Comparision of the tritium activity of the freeze-dried water from fish flesh and of the sources of tritium, indicates that the fish flesh approaches a steady-state concentration with the stream water. The freeze-dry water from the vegetation is also at a lower specific activity than the stream water. The water of combustion from the vegetation is also at a lower specific activity than stream water. The water of combustion from the fish flesh is somewhat higher in specific activity than the stream water or the water in the fish. The distribution of tritium among the components of this system can be explain in terms of the turnover of water and organic hydrogen in the components

  13. Tritium inventories and tritium safety design principles for the fuel cycle of ITER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cristescu, I.R.; Cristescu, I.; Doerr, L.; Glugla, M.; Murdoch, D.

    2007-01-01

    Within the tritium plant of ITER a total inventory of about 2-3 kg will be necessary to operate the machine in the DT phase. During plasma operation, tritium will be distributed in the different sub-systems of the fuel cycle. A tool for tritium inventory evaluation within each sub-system of the fuel cycle is important with respect to both the process of licensing ITER and also for operation. It is very likely that measurements of total tritium inventories may not be possible for all sub-systems; however, tritium accounting may be achieved by modelling its hold-up within each sub-system and by validating these models in real-time against the monitored flows and tritium streams between the sub-systems. To get reliable results, an accurate dynamic modelling of the tritium content in each sub-system is necessary. A dynamic model (TRIMO) for tritium inventory calculation reflecting the design of each fuel cycle sub-systems was developed. The amount of tritium needed for ITER operation has a direct impact on the tritium inventories within the fuel cycle sub-systems. As ITER will function in pulses, the main characteristics that influence the rapid tritium recovery from the fuel cycle as necessary for refuelling are discussed. The confinement of tritium within the respective sub-systems of the fuel cycle is one of the most important safety objectives. The design of the deuterium/tritium fuel cycle of ITER includes a multiple barrier concept for the confinement of tritium. The buildings are equipped with a vent detritiation system and re-circulation type room atmosphere detritiation systems, required for tritium confinement barrier during possible tritium spillage events. Complementarily to the atmosphere detritiation systems, in ITER a water detritiation system for tritium recovery from various sources will also be operated

  14. Development of tritium technology at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.; Bartlit, J.R.

    1982-01-01

    The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory is dedicated to the development, demonstration, and interfacing of technologies related to the deuterium-tritium fuel cycle for large scale fusion reactor systems starting with the Fusion Engineering Device (FED) or the International Tokamak Reactor (INTOR). This paper briefly describes the fuel cycle and safety systems at TSTA including the Vacuum Facility, Fuel Cleanup, Isotope Separation, Transfer Pumping, Emergency Tritium Cleanup, Tritium Waste Treatment, Tritium Monitoring, Data Acquisition and Control, Emergency Power and Gas Analysis systems. Discussed in further detail is the experimental program proposed for the startup and testing of these systems

  15. Development of a compact tritium activity monitor and first tritium measurements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Röllig, M., E-mail: marco.roellig@kit.edu; Ebenhöch, S.; Niemes, S.; Priester, F.; Sturm, M.

    2015-11-15

    Highlights: • We report about experimental results of a new tritium activity monitoring system using the BIXS method. • The system is compact and easy to implement. It has a small dead volume of about 28 cm{sup 3} and can be used in a flow-through mode. • Gold coated surfaces are used to improve significantly count rate stability of the system and to reduce stored inventory. - Abstract: To develop a convenient tool for in-line tritium gas monitoring, the TRitium Activity Chamber Experiment (TRACE) was built and commissioned at the Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK). The detection system is based on beta-induced X-ray spectrometry (BIXS), which observes the bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by tritium decay electrons in a gold layer. The setup features a measuring chamber with a gold-coated beryllium window and a silicon drift detector. Such a detection system can be used for accountancy and process control in tritium processing facilities like the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment (KATRIN). First characterization measurements with tritium were performed. The system demonstrates a linear response between tritium partial pressure and the integral count rate in a pressure range of 1 Pa up to 60 Pa. Within 100 s measurement time the lower detection limit for tritium is (143.63 ± 5.06) · 10{sup 4} Bq. The system stability of TRACE is limited by a linear decrease of integral count rate of 0.041 %/h. This decrease is most probably due to exchange interactions between tritium and the stainless steel walls. By reducing the interaction surface with stainless steel, the decrease of the integral count rate was reduced to 0.008 %/h. Based on the first results shown in this paper it can be concluded that TRACE is a promising complement to existing tritium monitoring tools.

  16. Tritium monitoring techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeVore, J.R.; Buckner, M.A.

    1996-05-01

    As part of their operations, the U.S. Navy is required to store or maintain operational nuclear weapons on ships and at shore facilities. Since these weapons contain tritium, there are safety implications relevant to the exposure of personnel to tritium. This is particularly important for shipboard operations since these types of environments can make low-level tritium detection difficult. Some of these ships have closed systems, which can result in exposure to tritium at levels that are below normally acceptable levels but could still cause radiation doses that are higher than necessary or could hamper ship operations. This report describes the state of the art in commercial tritium detection and monitoring and recommends approaches for low-level tritium monitoring in these environments

  17. Tritium dosimetry and standardization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balonov, M.I.

    1983-01-01

    Actual problem of radiation hygiene such as an evaluation of human irradiation hazard due to a contact with tritium compounds both in industrial and public spheres is under discussion. Sources of tritium release to environment are characterized. Methods of tritium radiation monitoring are discussed. Methods of dosimetry of internal human exposure resulted from tritium compounds are developed on the base of modern representations on metbolism and tritium radiobiological effect. A system of standardization of permissible intake of tritium compounds for personnel and persons of population is grounded. Some protection measures are proposed as applied to tritium overdosage

  18. Tritium containment and blanket design challenges for a 1 GWe mirror fusion central power station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galloway, T.R.

    1976-06-01

    Tritium containment and removal problems associated with the blanket and power-systems for a mirror fusion reactor are identified and conceptual process designs are devised to reduce emissions to the environment below 1 Ci/day. The blanket concept development proceeds by starting with this emission goal of 1 Ci/day and working inward to the blanket. At each decision point, worker safety, operational labor costs, and capital cost tradeoffs are contrasted. The conceptual design uses air for the reactor hall with a continuous catalytic oxidizer-molecular sieve adsorber cleanup system to maintain a 40 μCi/m 3 tritium level (5 μCi/m 3 HTO) against 180 Ci/day leakage from reactor components, energy recovery systems, and process piping. This blanket contains submodules with Li 2 Be 2 O 3 --Be for tritium breeding and submodules with Be for mostly energy production. Tritium production in both is handled by separately containing this breeding material and scavenging this container with lithium vapor-doped helium gas stream

  19. Recommendations for Tritium Science and Technology Research and Development in Support of the Tritium Readiness Campaign, TTP-7-084

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Senor, David J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2013-10-30

    Between 2006 and 2012 the Tritium Readiness Campaign Development and Testing Program produced significant advances in the understanding of in-reactor TPBAR performance. Incorporating these data into existing TPBAR performance models has improved permeation predictions, and the discrepancy between predicted and observed tritium permeation in the WBN1 coolant has been decreased by about 30%. However, important differences between predicted and observed permeation still remain, and there are significant knowledge gaps that hinder the ability to reliably predict other aspects of TPBAR performance such as tritium distribution, component integrity, and performance margins. Based on recommendations from recent Tritium Readiness Campaign workshops and reviews coupled with technical and programmatic priorities, high-priority activities were identified to address knowledge gaps in the near- (3-5 year), middle- (5-10 year), and long-term (10+ year) time horizons. It is important to note that there are many aspects to a well-integrated research and development program. The intent is not to focus exclusively on one aspect or another, but to approach the program in a holistic fashion. Thus, in addition to small-scale tritium science studies, ex-reactor tritium technology experiments such as TMED, and large-scale in-reactor tritium technology experiments such as TMIST, a well-rounded research and development program must also include continued analysis of WBN1 performance data and post-irradiation examination of TPBARs and lead use assemblies to evaluate model improvements and compare separate-effects and integral component behavior.

  20. Tritium production distribution in the accelerator production of tritium device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kidman, R.B.

    1997-11-01

    Helium-3 ( 3 He) gas is circulated throughout the accelerator production of tritium target/blanket (T/B) assembly to capture neutrons and convert 3 He to tritium. Because 3 He is very expensive, it is important to know the tritium producing effectiveness of 3 He at all points throughout the T/B. The purpose of this paper is to present estimates of the spatial distributions of tritium production, 3 He inventory, and the 3 He FOM

  1. Atmospheric tritium 1968-1984. Tritium Laboratory data report No. 14

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oestlund, H.G.; Mason, A.S.

    1985-04-01

    Tritium in the form of water, HTO, from the atmospheric testing of nuclear devices in the 60s has now mainly disappeared from the atmosphere and entered the ocean. The additions of such tritium from Chinese and French tests in the 70s were observed but did not make a big impression on the diminishing inventory of atmospheric HTO. Tritium in elemental form, HT, went through a maximum in the mid 70s, apparently primarily as a results of some underground testing of large nuclear devices and releases from civilian and military nuclear industry. The mid 70s maximum was 1.3 kg of tritium in this form, and in 1984 0.5 kg remain. The disappearance is slower than the decay rate of tritium, so sources must still have been present during this time. The global distribution shows, not unexpectedly, smaller inventory in the Southern Hemisphere across the equator and thus southward transport of HT. The chemical lifetime of hydrogen gas in the atmosphere, assuming the elemental tritium being in the form of HT, not T 2 , has been estimated between 6 and 10 years. It is to be expected that increasing activity of nuclear fuel reprocessing would in the near future again increase the global tritium gas inventory. Tritium in the form of light hydrocarbons, primarily methane, has also been measured, and in this form a quantity of 200 g of tritium resided in the global atmosphere 1956 to 1976. By 1982 it had decreased to 50 g. 25 refs., 5 figs., 11 tabs

  2. The development of a versatile field program for measuring tritium in real-time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rego, J.H.; Smith, D.K.

    1994-04-01

    Robust sample handling and liquid scintillation counting procedures have been developed to routinely monitor tritium in the field relative to the 20,000 pCi/L drinking water standard. This procedure allows tritium to be monitored hourly during 24 hour drilling operations at depths in the saturated zone potentially contaminated by sub-surface nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site. Using retrofitted shock hardened and vibration damped counters and strict analytical protocols, tritium may be measured rapidly in the field under hostile conditions. Concentration standards and ''dead'' tritium backgrounds are prepared weekly in a central laboratory and delivered to remote monitoring locations where they are recounted daily as a check on counter efficiency and calibration. Portable counters are located in trailers and powered off a battery pack and line filter fed by mobile generator. Samples are typically ground-waters mixed with drilling fluids returned after circulation through a drill string. Fluids are aerated and ''de-foamed,'' filtered, mixed with scintillation cocktail and subsequently dark-adapted before counting. Besides meeting regulatory requirements, ''real-time'' monitoring affords drilling and field personnel maximum protection against potential exposure to radionuclides; for routine operations, tritium activities may not exceed a 10,000 pCi/L threshold

  3. Analysis on tritium permeation in tritium storage bed with gas flowing calorimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Hirofumi; Hayashi, Takumi; Suzuki, Takumi; Nishi, Masataka [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka Fusion Research Establishment, Department of Fusion Engineering Research, Naka, Ibaraki (Japan); Yoshida, Hiroshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka Fusion Research Establishment, ITER-Joint Centeral Team, Naka, Ibaraki (Japan)

    2000-10-01

    Tritium permeation amount in a tritium storage bed with gas flowing calorimetric was evaluated under a condition of new operation mode for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). As a result, tritium permeation under the new operation mode was estimated to be about twice of that under the practical operation mode. This result show that it would be regardless in a view point of material control of tritium, however, it was suggested to be required additional tritium removal or evacuate system in a view points of safety control or performance of accountability or thermal insulating of the tritium storage bed. (author)

  4. Tritium Management In HCLL-PPCS Model AB Blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ricapito, I.; Aiello, A.; Benamati, G.; Utili, M.; Ciampichetti, A.; Zucchetti, M.

    2006-01-01

    One the main issues in the HCLL blanket development for a prototype fusion reactor is the technical feasibility of the bred tritium processing system. The basis of such concern lies in the very low tritium-Pb17Li Sieverts' constant, as measured by different scientists in the past years. In the PPCS reactor 650 g/d of tritium must be generated in the breeding blanket while less than 1 g/y of tritium has to be released to the environment through the secondary cooling circuit. As a consequence, CPS (Coolant Purification System) plays a fundamental role because it has to keep at an acceptable level the tritium partial pressure in the primary HCS (Helium Cooling Circuit) limiting, therefore, the tritium environmental release through leakage and permeation into the secondary cooling circuit. On the other hand, the He mass flow-rate to be processed by CPS is linear with the tritium permeation rate from the breeder into HCS. Therefore, with the above mentioned low Sieverts' constant values and the consequent high tritium partial pressure in the liquid metal, the possibility to keep acceptable the CPS capacity depends on a highly efficient and stable performance of tritium permeation barriers, to be applied not only on the blanket cooling plates but also on the steam generator walls. However, the experimental results on the tritium permeation barriers under relevant operative conditions were so far quite disappointing. The new data on the Sieverts' constant achieved at ENEA CR Brasimone, one order of magnitude higher than those founding the past, have a big impact in relaxing the above mentioned requirements for the tritium management in PPCS model AB reactor. Besides presenting and discussing these recent experimental results, an updated assessment of the tritium permeation rate from the liquid breeder into HCS through the cooling plates and from HCS into the environment through the steam generators is given in this paper. The consequent new constraints in terms of tritium

  5. Tritium storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hircq, B.

    1989-01-01

    A general synthesis about tritium storage is achieved in this paper and a particular attention is given to practical application in the Fusion Technology Program. Tritium, storage under gaseous form and solid form are discussed (characteristics, advantages, disadvantages and equipments). The way of tritium storage is then discussed and a choice established as a function of a logic which takes into account the main working parameters

  6. Description of the new version 4.0 of the tritium model UFOTRI including user guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raskob, W.

    1993-08-01

    In view of the future operation of fusion reactors the release of tritium may play a dominant role during normal operation as well as after accidents. Because of its physical and chemical properties which differ significantly from those of other radionuclides, the model UFOTRI for assessing the radiological consequences of accidental tritium releases has been developed. It describes the behaviour of tritium in the biosphere and calculates the radiological impact on individuals and the population due to the direct exposure and by the ingestion pathways. Processes such as the conversion of tritium gas into tritiated water (HTO) in the soil, re-emission after deposition and the conversion of HTO into organically bound tritium, are considered. The use of UFOTRI in its probabilistic mode shows the spectrum of the radiological impact together with the associated probability of occurrence. A first model version was established in 1991. As the ongoing work on investigating the main processes of the tritium behaviour in the environment shows up new results, the model has been improved in several points. The report describes the changes incorporated into the model since 1991. Additionally provides the up-dated user guide for handling the revised UFOTRI version which will be distributed to interested organizations. (orig.) [de

  7. Oxidative Tritium Decontamination System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gentile, Charles A.; Parker, John J.; Guttadora, Gregory L.; Ciebiera, Lloyd P.

    2002-01-01

    The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Tritium Systems Group has developed and fabricated an Oxidative Tritium Decontamination System (OTDS), which is designed to reduce tritium surface contamination on various components and items. The system is configured to introduce gaseous ozone into a reaction chamber containing tritiated items that require a reduction in tritium surface contamination. Tritium surface contamination (on components and items in the reaction chamber) is removed by chemically reacting elemental tritium to tritium oxide via oxidation, while purging the reaction chamber effluent to a gas holding tank or negative pressure HVAC system. Implementing specific concentrations of ozone along with catalytic parameters, the system is able to significantly reduce surface tritium contamination on an assortment of expendable and non-expendable items. This paper will present the results of various experimentation involving employment of this system

  8. Tritium Decay Helium-3 Effects in Tungsten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimada, M. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Merrill, B. J. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-06-01

    A critical challenge for long-term operation of ITER and beyond to a Demonstration reactor (DEMO) and future fusion reactor will be the development of plasma-facing components (PFCs) that demonstrate erosion resistance to steady-state/transient heat fluxes and intense neutral/ion particle fluxes under the extreme fusion nuclear environment, while at the same time minimizing in-vessel tritium inventories and permeation fluxes into the PFC’s coolant. Tritium will diffuse in bulk tungsten at elevated temperatures, and can be trapped in radiation-induced trap site (up to 1 at. % T/W) in tungsten [1,2]. Tritium decay into helium-3 may also play a major role in microstructural evolution (e.g. helium embrittlement) in tungsten due to relatively low helium-4 production (e.g. He/dpa ratio of 0.4-0.7 appm [3]) in tungsten. Tritium-decay helium-3 effect on tungsten is hardly understood, and its database is very limited. Two tungsten samples (99.99 at. % purity from A.L.M.T. Co., Japan) were exposed to high flux (ion flux of 1.0x1022 m-2s-1 and ion fluence of 1.0x1026 m-2) 0.5%T2/D2 plasma at two different temperatures (200, and 500°C) in Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE) at Idaho National Laboratory. Tritium implanted samples were stored at ambient temperature in air for more than 3 years to investigate tritium decay helium-3 effect in tungsten. The tritium distributions on plasma-exposed was monitored by a tritium imaging plate technique during storage period [4]. Thermal desorption spectroscopy was performed with a ramp rate of 10°C/min up to 900°C to outgas residual deuterium and tritium but keep helium-3 in tungsten. These helium-3 implanted samples were exposed to deuterium plasma in TPE to investigate helium-3 effect on deuterium behavior in tungsten. The results show that tritium surface concentration in 200°C sample decreased to 30 %, but tritium surface concentration in 500°C sample did not alter over the 3 years storage period, indicating possible tritium

  9. Development of a wetproofed catalyst recombiner for removal of airborne tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chuang, K.T.; Quaiattini, R.J.; Thatcher, D.R.P.; Puissant, L.J.

    1985-01-01

    For cleanup of airborne tritium at tritium handling facilities, it is generally agreed that the most reliable method is to convert the tritium in a recombiner into water vapor followed by adsorption of the vapor in a molecular sieve drier. Decontamination factors of 10 3 to 10 6 have been reported. Wetproofed catalysts developed at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories have been shown to maintain their activities when exposed to liquid water or air at 100% relative humidity. When a wetproofed catalyst recombiner is used, operation can be carried out at room temperatures thus greatly simplifying the system. Two catalysts, Pt/carbon and Pt/silica, were prepared for this study. The activity of Pt/carbon was measured with hydrogen and found to be comparable to the published results for conventional Pt/alumina catalysts at similar conditions. Experiments were carried out for the following range of operating conditions: flows from 0.3 to 3.0 m/s, pressure from 100 to 500 kPa. Tritium was added to the air stream at 1-5 MBq.m -3 (30-140 μCi.m -3 ). No significant isotope and/or pressure effects were observed. To date lifetime data of greater than four months have been obtained

  10. Tritium levels in milk in the vicinity of chronic tritium releases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Goff, P.; Guétat, Ph.; Vichot, L.; Leconte, N.; Badot, P.M.; Gaucheron, F.; Fromm, M.

    2016-01-01

    Tritium is the radioactive isotope of hydrogen. It can be integrated into most biological molecules. Even though its radiotoxicity is weak, the effects of tritium can be increased following concentration in critical compartments of living organisms. For a better understanding of tritium circulation in the environment and to highlight transfer constants between compartments, we studied the tritiation of different agricultural matrices chronically exposed to tritium. Milk is one of the most frequently monitored foodstuffs in the vicinity of points known for chronic release of radionuclides firstly because dairy products find their way into most homes but also because it integrates deposition over large areas at a local scale. It is a food which contains all the main nutrients, especially proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. We thus studied the tritium levels of milk in chronic exposure conditions by comparing the tritiation of the main hydrogenated components of milk, first, component by component, then, sample by sample. Significant correlations were found between the specific activities of drinking water and free water of milk as well as between the tritium levels of cattle feed dry matter and of the main organic components of milk. Our findings stress the importance of the metabolism on the distribution of tritium in the different compartments. Overall, dilution of hydrogen in the environmental compartments was found to play an important role dimming possible isotopic effects even in a food chain chronically exposed to tritium. - Highlights: • Tritium can be incorporated in all the hydrogenated components of milk. • Components' isotopic ratios T/H of chronically exposed milk remain in the same range. • In environmental conditions, distribution of tritium in milk components varies. • Metabolism plays a role in the distribution of tritium in the components of milk. • In environmental conditions, dilution of hydrogen dims possible isotopic effects.

  11. Computer code for calculating personnel doses due to tritium exposures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graham, C.L.; Parlagreco, J.R.

    1977-01-01

    This report describes a computer code written in LLL modified Fortran IV that can be used on a CDC 7600 for calculating personnel doses due to internal exposures to tritium. The code is capable of handling various exposure situations and is also capable of detecting a large variety of data input errors that would lead to errors in the dose assessment. The critical organ is the body water

  12. Effects of microdistribution of tritium on dose calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prestwich, W.V.; Kwok, C.S.; Nunes, J.

    1992-06-01

    Literature and data pertaining to the microdosimetry, relative biological effectiveness, subcellular distribution, organ uptake and retention for organically-bound tritium are reviewed. The quality factor for the electron degradation spectrum associated with the radiation field of tritium β-rays in water was calculated. The value was found to be 1.9 ± .2. A related experimental measure of quality with value 1.6 ± .2 and an estimate of 1.3 based on simulation studies are cited. The average value for relative biological effectiveness for a data base of 55 values was found to be 1.8 ± .1. The influence of reference radiation, in vivo versus in vitro methodologies, and the use of tritiated thymidine or tritiated water are discussed. A methodology designed to estimate the effects of subcellular distribution is described and a suitable parameter, the localization factor defined. Estimates of this factor are made for both nuclear-bound and organically-bound tritium. Values of 4 and 1.5 respectively are suggested. Organ uptake studies in rodents following long-term feeding of organically-bound tritium are compared. The tritium is found to be unequally distributed among the tissues studied. The highest specific activity occurs in liver, with the lowest in femur. The specific activity of tritium in tissue-free water slightly exceeds that of organically-bound tritium in liver. Retention studies reveal a three-component exponential decrease of organically-bound tritium. No discernible trends of the periods of the three components with specific organs could be established. Average values of the periods are 1.2 ± .2, 10 ± 2, and 65 ± 8 days. It is concluded that specific enhancement of radiobiological effectiveness due to incorporation of tritium in DNA does probably not occur. The radiotoxicological impact of organically-bound tritium could warrant the use of a radiation weighing factor between 2 and 3

  13. Metabolism and dosimetry of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, R.L.; Johnson, J.R.

    1993-01-01

    This document was prepared as a review of the current knowledge of tritium metabolism and dosimetry. The physical, chemical, and metabolic characteristics of various forms of tritium are presented as they pertain to performing dose assessments for occupational workers and for the general public. For occupational workers, the forms of tritium discussed include tritiated water, elemental tritium gas, skin absorption from elemental tritium gas-contaminated surfaces, organically bound tritium in pump oils, solvents and other organic compounds, metal tritides, and radioluminous paints. For the general public, age-dependent tritium metabolism is reviewed, as well as tritiated water, elemental tritium gas, organically bound tritium, organically bound tritium in food-stuffs, and tritiated methane. 106 refs

  14. JET experiments with tritium and deuterium–tritium mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Horton, Lorne, E-mail: Lorne.Horton@jet.uk [JET Exploitation Unit, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); European Commission, B-1049 Brussels (Belgium); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Batistoni, P. [Unità Tecnica Fusione - ENEA C. R. Frascati - via E. Fermi 45, Frascati (Roma), 00044, Frascati (Italy); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Boyer, H.; Challis, C.; Ćirić, D. [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB, Oxon (United Kingdom); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Donné, A.J.H. [EUROfusion Programme Management Unit, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); FOM Institute DIFFER, PO Box 1207, NL-3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Eriksson, L.-G. [European Commission, B-1049 Brussels (Belgium); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Garcia, J. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance (France); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Garzotti, L.; Gee, S. [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB, Oxon (United Kingdom); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Hobirk, J. [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, D-85748 Garching (Germany); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Joffrin, E. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint Paul Lez Durance (France); EUROfusion Consortium, JET, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); and others

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • JET is preparing for a series of experiments with tritium and deuterium–tritium mixtures. • Physics objectives include integrated demonstration of ITER operating scenarios, isotope and alpha physics. • Technology objectives include neutronics code validation, material studies and safety investigations. • Strong emphasis on gaining experience in operation of a nuclear tokamak and training scientists and engineers for ITER. - Abstract: Extensive preparations are now underway for an experiment in the Joint European Torus (JET) using tritium and deuterium–tritium mixtures. The goals of this experiment are described as well as the progress that has been made in developing plasma operational scenarios and physics reference pulses for use in deuterium–tritium and full tritium plasmas. At present, the high performance plasmas to be tested with tritium are based on either a conventional ELMy H-mode at high plasma current and magnetic field (operation at up to 4 MA and 4 T is being prepared) or the so-called improved H-mode or hybrid regime of operation in which high normalised plasma pressure at somewhat reduced plasma current results in enhanced energy confinement. Both of these regimes are being re-developed in conjunction with JET's ITER-like Wall (ILW) of beryllium and tungsten. The influence of the ILW on plasma operation and performance has been substantial. Considerable progress has been made on optimising performance with the all-metal wall. Indeed, operation at the (normalised) ITER reference confinement and pressure has been re-established in JET albeit not yet at high current. In parallel with the physics development, extensive technical preparations are being made to operate JET with tritium. The state and scope of these preparations is reviewed, including the work being done on the safety case for DT operation and on upgrading machine infrastructure and diagnostics. A specific example of the latter is the planned calibration at

  15. Sources of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillips, J.E.; Easterly, C.E.

    1980-12-01

    A review of tritium sources is presented. The tritium production and release rates are discussed for light water reactors (LWRs), heavy water reactors (HWRs), high temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGRs), liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs), and molten salt breeder reactors (MSBRs). In addition, release rates are discussed for tritium production facilities, fuel reprocessing plants, weapons detonations, and fusion reactors. A discussion of the chemical form of the release is included. The energy producing facilities are ranked in order of increasing tritium production and release. The ranking is: HTGRs, LWRs, LMFBRs, MSBRs, and HWRs. The majority of tritium has been released in the form of tritiated water

  16. Evaluation of a nonevaporable getter pump for tritium handling in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singleton, M.F.; Griffith, C.M.

    1978-01-01

    Lawrence Livermore Laboratory has tested and evaluated a commercially available getter pump for use with tritium in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). The pump contains Zr(84%)--Al in cartridge form with a concentric heating unit. It performed well in all tests, except for frequent heater failures

  17. Lithium ceramics: sol-gel preparation and tritium release; Ceramiques lithiees: elaboration sol-gel et relachement du tritium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Renoult, O

    1994-04-01

    Ceramics based on lithium aluminate (LiA1O{sub 2}), lithium zirconate (Li{sub 2}ZrO{sub 3}) and lithium titanate (Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}) are candidates as tritium breeder blanket materials for forthcoming nuclear fusion reactors. Lithium silico-aluminate Li{sub 4+x}A1{sub 4-3x}Si{sub 2x}O{sub 8} (0 {<=} x {<=} 0,25) powders were synthetized from alkoxyde-hydroxyde sol-gel route. By direct sintering at 850-1100 deg C (without prior calcination), ceramics with controlled stoichiometry and homogenous microstructure were obtained. We have also prepared, using a comparable method, Li{sub 2}Zr{sub 1-x}Ti{sub x}O{sub 3} (x = 0, x = 0,1 et x = 1) materials. All these ceramics, with different microstructures and compositions, have been tested in out-of-reactor experiments. Concerning lithium aluminate microporous ceramics, the silicon substitution leads to a significant improvement of the tritrium release. Classical models taking into account independent surface mechanisms are not able to describe correctly the observed tritium release kinetics. We show, using a simple model, that the release kinetics is in fact limited by an intergranular diffusion followed by a desorption. The delay in tritium release, which occurs when the ceramic compacity increases, is explained in terms of an enhancement of the ionic T{sup +} diffusion path length. The energy required for desorption includes a leading term independent of hydrogen contained in the sweep gas. This term is attributed to the limiting recombination step of T{sup +} in molecular species HTO. For similar microstructures, the facility of tritium release for the different studied materials is explained by three properties: the crystal structure of the ceramic, the acidity of oxides and finally the presence of electronic non-stoichiometric defects. (author). 89 refs., 50 figs., 2 tabs., 1 annexe.

  18. Overview of tritium processing development at the tritium systems test assembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, J.L.

    1986-01-01

    The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has been operating with tritium since June 1984. Presently there are some 50 g of tritium in the main processing loop. This 50 g has been sufficient to do a number of experiments involving the cryogenic distillation isotope separation system and to integrate the fuel cleanup system into the main fuel processing loop. In January 1986 two major experiments were conducted. During these experiments the fuel cleanup system was integrated, through the transfer pumping system, with the isotope separation system, thus permitting testing on the integrated fuel processing loop. This integration of these systems leaves only the main vacuum system to be integrated into the TSTA fuel processing loop. In September 1986 another major tritium experiment was performed in which the integrated loop was operated, the tritium inventory increased to 50 g and additional measurements on the performance of the distillation system were taken. In the period June 1984 through September 1986 the TSTA system has processed well over 10 8 Ci of tritium. Total tritium emissions to the environment over this period have been less than 15 Ci. Personnel exposures during this period have totaled less than 100 person-mRem. To date, the development of tritium technology at TSTA has proceeded in progressive and orderly steps. In two years of operation with tritium, no major design flows have been uncovered

  19. Tritium confinement in a new tritium processing facility at the Savannah River Site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heung, L.K.; Owen, J.H.; Hsu, R.H.; Hashinger, R.F.; Ward, D.E.; Bandola, P.E.

    1991-01-01

    A new tritium processing facility, named the Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF), has been completed and is being prepared for startup at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The RTF has the capability to recover, purify and separate hydrogen isotopes from recycled gas containers. A multilayered confinement system is designed to reduce tritium losses to the environment. This confinement system is expected to confine and recover any tritium that might escape the process equipment, and to maintain the tritium concentration in the nitrogen glovebox atmosphere to less than 10 -2 μCi/cc tritium

  20. Tritium labeling of amino acids and peptides with liquid and solid tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng, C.T.; Hua, R.L.; Souers, P.C.; Coronado, P.R.

    1988-01-01

    Amino acids and peptides were labeled with liquid and solid tritium at 21 K and 9 K. At these low temperatures radiation degradation is minimal, and tritium incorporation increases with tritium concentration and exposure time. Ring saturation in L-phenyl-alanine does not occur. Peptide linkage in oligopeptides is stable toward tritium. Deiodination in 3-iodotyrosine and 3,5-diiodotyrosine occurs readily and proceeds in steps by losing one iodine atom at a time. Nickel and noble metal supported catalysts when used as supports for dispersion of the substrate promote tritium labeling at 21 K. Our study shows that both liquid and solid tritium are potentially useful agents for labeling peptides and proteins. 11 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs

  1. Tritium labeling of amino acids and peptides with liquid and solid tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Souers, P.C.; Coronado, P.R.; Peng, C.T.; Hua, R.L.

    1988-01-01

    Amino acids and peptides were labeled with liquid and solid tritium at 21/degree/K and 9/degree/K. At these low temperatures radiation degradation is minimal, and tritium incorporation increases with tritium concentration and exposure time. Ring saturation in L-phenylalanine does not occur. Peptide linkage in oligopeptides is stable toward tritium. Deiodination in 3-iodotyrosine and 3,5-diiodotyrosine occurs readily and proceeds in steps by losing one iodine atom at a time. Nickel and noble metal supported catalysts when used as supports for dispersion of the substrate promote tritium labeling at 21 K. Our study shows that both liquid and solid tritiums are potentially useful agents for labeling peptides and proteins

  2. In-vessel tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ueda, Yoshio; Ohya, Kaoru; Ashikawa, Naoko; Ito, Atsushi M.; Kato, Daiji; Kawamura, Gakushi; Takayama, Arimichi; Tomita, Yukihiro; Nakamura, Hiroaki; Ono, Tadayoshi; Kawashima, Hisato; Shimizu, Katsuhiro; Takizuka, Tomonori; Nakano, Tomohide; Nakamura, Makoto; Hoshino, Kazuo; Kenmotsu, Takahiro; Wada, Motoi; Saito, Seiki; Takagi, Ikuji; Tanaka, Yasunori; Tanabe, Tetsuo; Yoshida, Masafumi; Toma, Mitsunori; Hatayama, Akiyoshi; Homma, Yuki; Tolstikhina, Inga Yu.

    2012-01-01

    The in-vessel tritium research is closely related to the plasma-materials interaction. It deals with the edge-plasma-wall interaction, the wall erosion, transport and re-deposition of neutral particles and the effect of neutral particles on the fuel recycling. Since the in-vessel tritium shows a complex nonlinear behavior, there remain many unsolved problems. So far, behaviors of in-vessel tritium have been investigated by two groups A01 and A02. The A01 group performed experiments on accumulation and recovery of tritium in thermonuclear fusion reactors and the A02 group studied theory and simulation on the in-vessel tritium behavior. In the present article, outcomes of the research are reviewed. (author)

  3. Tritium sampling and measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, M.J.; McElroy, R.G.; Surette, R.A.; Brown, R.M.

    1993-01-01

    Current methods for sampling and measuring tritium are described. Although the basic techniques have not changed significantly over the last 10 y, there have been several notable improvements in tritium measurement instrumentation. The design and quality of commercial ion-chamber-based and gas-flow-proportional-counter-based tritium monitors for tritium-in-air have improved, an indirect result of fusion-related research in the 1980s. For tritium-in-water analysis, commercial low-level liquid scintillation spectrometers capable of detecting tritium-in-water concentrations as low as 0.65 Bq L-1 for counting times of 500 min are available. The most sensitive method for tritium-in-water analysis is still 3He mass spectrometry. Concentrations as low as 0.35 mBq L-1 can be detected with current equipment. Passive tritium-oxide-in-air samplers are now being used for workplace monitoring and even in some environmental sampling applications. The reliability, convenience, and low cost of passive tritium-oxide-in-air samplers make them attractive options for many monitoring applications. Airflow proportional counters currently under development look promising for measuring tritium-in-air in the presence of high gamma and/or noble gas backgrounds. However, these detectors are currently limited by their poor performance in humidities over 30%. 133 refs

  4. Tritium monitoring at the Sandia Tritium Research Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devlin, T.K.

    1978-10-01

    Sandia Laboratories at Livermore, California, is presently beginning operation of a Tritium Research Laboratory (TRL). The laboratory incorporates containment and cleanup facilities such that any unscheduled tritium release is captured rather than vented to the atmosphere. A sophisticated tritium monitoring system is in use at the TRL to protect operating personnel and the environment, as well as ensure the safe and effective operation of the TRL decontamination systems. Each monitoring system has, in addition to a local display, a display in a centralized control room which, when coupled room which, when coupled with the TRL control computer, automatically provides an immediate assessment of the status of the entire facility. The computer controls a complex alarm array status of the entire facility. The computer controls a complex alarm array and integrates and records all operational and unscheduled tritium releases

  5. Tritium autoradiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caskey, G.R. Jr.

    1981-01-01

    Hydrogen distribution and diffusion within many materials may be investigated by autoradiography if the radioactive isotope tritium is used in the study. Tritium is unstable and decays to helium-3 by emission of a low energy (18 keV) beta particle which may be detected photographically. The basic principles of tritium autoradiography will be discussed. Limitations are imposed on the technique by: (1) the low energy of the beta particles; (2) the solubility and diffusivity of hydrogen in materials; and (3) the response of the photographic emulsion to beta particles. These factors control the possible range of application of tritium autoradiography. The technique has been applied successfully to studies of hydrogen solubility and distribution in materials and to studies of hydrogen damage

  6. Tritium sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Glodic, S.; Boreli, F.

    1993-01-01

    Tritium is the only radioactive isotope of hydrogen. It directly follows the metabolism of water and it can be bound into genetic material, so it is very important to control levels of contamination. In order to define the state of contamination it is necessary to establish 'zero level', i.e. actual global inventory. The importance of tritium contamination monitoring increases with the development of fusion power installations. Different sources of tritium are analyzed and summarized in this paper. (author)

  7. Tritium labelling of molecules constrained in microporous catalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Long, M.A.; Garnett, J.L.; Than, Chit

    1989-01-01

    The use of microporous aluminophosphate catalysts for exchange between tritium gas or tritiated water and organic substrates is described. The results are compared with those of microporous zeolites. Results are interpreted in terms of the influence of the constraints imposed on molecular configuration by the catalyst pore geometry. The use of these porous structures for minimising byproduct formation in radiation induced labelling processes with tritium gas is described. (author). 10 refs.; 3 tabs

  8. Calibration of an experimental model of tritium storage bed designed for 'in situ' accountability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bidica, Nicolae; Stefanescu, Ioan; Bucur, Ciprian; Bulubasa, Gheorghe; Deaconu, Mariea

    2009-01-01

    Full text: Objectives: Tritium accountancy of the storage beds in tritium facilities is an important issue for tritium inventory control. The purpose of our work was to perform calibration of an experimental model of tritium storage bed with a special design, using electric heaters to simulate tritium decay, and to evaluate the detection limit of the accountancy method. The objective of this paper is to present an experimental method used for calibration of the storage bed and the experimental results consisting of calibration curves and detection limit. Our method is based on a 'self-assaying' tritium storage bed. The basic characteristics of the design of our storage bed consists, in principle, of a uniform distribution of the storage material on several copper thin fins (in order to obtain a uniform temperature field inside the bed), an electrical heat source to simulate the tritium decay heat, a system of thermocouples for measuring the temperature field inside the bed, and good thermal isolation of the bed from the external environment. Within this design of the tritium storage bed, the tritium accounting method is based on determining the decay heat of tritium by measuring the temperature increase of the isolated storage bed. Experimental procedure consisted in measuring of temperature field inside the bed for few values of the power injected with the aid of electrical heat source. Data have been collected for few hours and the temperature increase rate was determined for each value of the power injected. Graphical representation of temperature rise versus injected powers was obtained. This accounting method of tritium inventory stored as metal tritide is a reliable solution for in-situ tritium accountability in a tritium handling facility. Several improvements can be done regarding the design of the storage bed in order to improve the measurement accuracy and to obtain a lower detection limit as for instance use of more accurate thermocouples or special

  9. Tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fiege, A.

    1992-07-01

    This report contains information on chemical and physical properties, occurence, production, use, technology, release, radioecology, radiobiology, dose estimates, radioprotection and legal aspects of tritium. The objective of this report is to provide a reliable data base for the public discussion on tritium, especially with regard to its use in future nuclear fusion plants and its radiological assessment. (orig.) [de

  10. Modelling the environmental transport of tritium in the vicinity of long term atmospheric and sub-surface sources. Report of the Tritium Working Group of the Biosphere Modelling and Assessment (BIOMASS) Programme, Theme 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-03-01

    The IAEA Programme on BIOsphere Modelling and ASSessment (BIOMASS) was launched in Vienna in October 1996. The programme was concerned with developing and improving capabilities to predict the transfer of radionuclides in the environment. The programme had three themes: Theme 1: Radioactive Waste Disposal. The objective was to develop the concept of a standard or reference biosphere for application to the assessment of the long term safety of repositories for radioactive waste. Theme 2: Environmental Releases. BIOMASS provided an international forum for activities aimed at increasing the confidence in methods and models for the assessment of radiation exposure related to environmental releases. Two Working Groups addressed issues concerned with the reconstruction of radiation doses received by people from past releases of radionuclides to the environment and the evaluation of the efficacy of remedial measures. Theme 3: Biosphere Processes. The aim of this Theme was to improve capabilities for modelling the transfer of radionuclides in particular parts of the biosphere identified as being of potential radiological significance and where there were gaps in modelling approaches. This topic was explored using a range of methods including reviews of the literature, model inter-comparison exercises and, where possible, model testing against independent sources of data. Three Working Groups were established to examine the modelling of: (1) long term tritium dispersion in the environment; (2) radionuclide uptake by fruits; and (3) radionuclide migration and accumulation in forest ecosystems. This report describes results of the studies undertaken by the Tritium Working Group under Theme 3. It discusses the six model test exercises (three model-model intercomparisons and three model-data exercises) and the twenty-month field sampling programme undertaken to investigate the environmental transport of tritium in the vicinity of long term atmospheric and sub-surface sources

  11. Current understanding of organically bound tritium (OBT) in the environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, S B; Baglan, N; Davis, P A

    2013-12-01

    It has become increasingly recognized that organically bound tritium (OBT) is the more significant tritium fraction with respect to understanding tritium behaviour in the environment. There are many different terms associated with OBT; such as total OBT, exchangeable OBT, non-exchangeable OBT, soluble OBT, insoluble OBT, tritiated organics, and buried tritium, etc. A simple classification is required to clarify understanding within the tritium research community. Unlike for tritiated water (HTO), the environmental quantification and behaviour of OBT are not well known. Tritiated water cannot bio-accumulate in the environment. However, it is not clear whether or not this is the case for OBT. Even though OBT can be detected in terrestrial biological materials, aquatic biological materials and soil samples, its behaviour is still in question. In order to evaluate the radiation dose from OBT accurately, further study will be required to understand OBT measurements and determine OBT fate in the environment. The relationship between OBT speciation and the OBT/HTO ratio in environmental samples will be useful in this regard, providing information on the previous tritium exposure conditions in the environment and the current tritium dynamics. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of organically bound tritium (OBT) on pre-implantation mouse embryos in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Takeshi; Ohyama, Harumi

    1989-01-01

    Effect of organically bound tritium (OBT), such as tritiated thymidine and tritium-labeled amino acids, on mouse preimplantation embryos was examined in vitro. Mouse zygotes fertilized in vitro (BC3F 1 eggs x ICR sperm) were cultured in the media containing OBT in various concentrations up to the blastocyst stage. The LD 50 in terms of tritium concentrations in the culture medium were determined by measuring tritium concentrations in the medium to inhibit 50 % of embryos to form blastocyst in vitro. Tritium activities in the embryos were measured at various times during culture of embryos at LD 50 concentration in order to estimate absorbed radiation dose in embryonic cells. The LD 50 values obtained indicate that OBT could inhibit the embryonic development 1000 times more effectively that tritiated water (HTO). However, differences in LD 50 values in terms of absorbed radiation dose between OBT and HTO is not so essential, and might be explained by localized spatial distribution of OBT within the cell. (author)

  13. Control of the tritium path in process heat HTR's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirch, N.; Scheidler, G.

    1985-01-01

    Nuclear Process Heat plant converting fossil fuels into liquid or gaseous secondary energy carriers generate tritium by several nuclear reactions. Control of the tritium path through the walls of the heat exchanger is highly important to meet regulatory requirements on the acceptable contamination in the product gas or liquid. Therefore, significant effort in the project 'Prototypanlage Nukleare Prozesswaerme' was put not only into generating a data base, but also into means of reducing tritium generation and permeation. Clean graphites with lithium impurities in the ppb level provide a low tritium source term. Realistic modeling of graphite retention and special helium purification systems are essentials. The main barrier to tritium permeation are heat exchanger walls requiring detailed characterization of in-situ surface layers. Studies to optimize the water/steam mass flow in the conversion process offer possibilities for further tritium retention. Progress can be demonstrated as follows: In 1980, between 2 and 8 Bq tritium per gram of product were predicted based on available data and even higher concentrations during startup. However, present day validated code predictions are below required 0.5 Bq/g equilibrium concentration level. During transients - particularly startup - this limit cannot be guaranteed as yet, but further retention potential is being offered by tritium gettering or filtering. An expected increase of the German regulatory requirement to 5 Bq/g will easily be met by present plant design under all operational conditions. (author)

  14. Long-term tritium monitoring to study river basin dynamics: case of the Danube River basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aggarwal, Pradeep; Araguas, Luis; Groening, Manfred; Newman, Brent; Kurttas, Turker; Papesch, Wolfgang; Rank, Dieter; Suckow, Axel; Vitvar, Tomas

    2010-05-01

    During the last five decades, isotope concentrations (O-18, D, tritium) have been extensively measured in precipitation, surface- and ground-waters to derive information on residence times of water in aquifers and rivers, recharge processes, and groundwater dynamics. The unique properties of the isotopes of the water molecule as tracers are especially useful for understanding the retention of water in river basins, which is a key parameter for assessing water resources availability, addressing quality issues, investigating interconnections between surface- and ground-waters, and for predicting possible hydrological shifts related to human activities and climate change. Detailed information of the spatial and temporal changes of isotope contents in precipitation at a global scale was one of the initial aims of the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), which has provided a detailed chronicle of tritium and stable isotope contents in precipitation since the 1960s. Accurate information of tritium contents resulting of the thermonuclear atmospheric tests in the 1950s and 1960s is available in GNIP for stations distributed world-wide. Use of this dataset for hydrological dating or as an indicator of recent recharge has been extensive in shallow groundwaters. However, its use has been more limited in surface waters, due to the absence of specific monitoring programmes of tritium and stable isotopes in rivers, lakes and other surface water bodies. The IAEA has recently been compiling new and archival isotope data measured in groundwaters, rivers, lakes and other water bodies as part of its web based Water Isotope System for Data Analysis, Visualization and Electronic Retrieval (WISER). Recent additions to the Global Network of Isotopes in Rivers (GNIR) contained within WISER now make detailed studies in rivers possible. For this study, we are re-examining residence time estimates for the Danube in central Europe. Tritium data are available in GNIR from 15

  15. Levels of tritium concentration in the environmental samples around JAERI TOKAI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuura, K.; Sasa, Y.; Nakamura, C.; Katagiri, H.

    1995-01-01

    By the operation of research reactors, tritium-handling facilities, nuclear power plants, and a reprocessing facility around JAERI TOKAI, tritium is released into the environment in compliance with the regulatory standards. To investigate the levels of tritium concentration in environmental samples around JAERI, rain, air (vapor and hydrogen gas), and tissue-free water of pine needles were measured and analyzed from 1984 to 1993. Sampling locations were determined by taking into consideration wind direction, distance from nuclear facilities, and population distribution. The NAKA site (about 6 km west-northwest from the Tokai site) was also selected as a reference point. Rain and tissue-free water of pine needles were sampled monthly. For air samples, sampling was carried out for two weeks by using the continuous tritium sampler. After the pretreatment of samples, tritium concentrations were measured by a low background liquid scintillation counter (detection limit 0.8 Bq/l). Annual mean tritium concentrations in rain observed at six points for 10 years was 0.8 to 8.9 Bq/l, which decreased with distance from the nuclear facilities. Tritium concentrations in rain obtained at Chiba City were around 0.8 Bq/l (1987-1988) and those at the NAKA site were 0.8 to 3.8 Bq/l. Annual mean HTO concentrations in air at three points for 10 years were 9.2 x 10 -2 to 1.1 Bq/m 3 , although HT concentrations in air, ranging from 1.7 x 10 -2 to 5.8 x 10 -2 Bq/m 3 , were not influenced by the operation of the nuclear facilities. Annual mean tritium concentrations in tissue-free water of pine needles at four points for 10 years were 1.4 to 31 Bq/l. Those at the NAKA site ranging from 1.4 to 6.2 Bq/l were in good agreement with the reported value by Takashima of 0.78 to 3.0 Bq/l at twenty-one locations in Japan. Monthly mean HTO concentrations in air for 10 years showed a good correlation with absolute humidity, while other samples showed no seasonal variation. Higher level tritium

  16. Tritium levels in milk in the vicinity of chronic tritium releases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Goff, P; Guétat, Ph; Vichot, L; Leconte, N; Badot, P M; Gaucheron, F; Fromm, M

    2016-01-01

    Tritium is the radioactive isotope of hydrogen. It can be integrated into most biological molecules. Even though its radiotoxicity is weak, the effects of tritium can be increased following concentration in critical compartments of living organisms. For a better understanding of tritium circulation in the environment and to highlight transfer constants between compartments, we studied the tritiation of different agricultural matrices chronically exposed to tritium. Milk is one of the most frequently monitored foodstuffs in the vicinity of points known for chronic release of radionuclides firstly because dairy products find their way into most homes but also because it integrates deposition over large areas at a local scale. It is a food which contains all the main nutrients, especially proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. We thus studied the tritium levels of milk in chronic exposure conditions by comparing the tritiation of the main hydrogenated components of milk, first, component by component, then, sample by sample. Significant correlations were found between the specific activities of drinking water and free water of milk as well as between the tritium levels of cattle feed dry matter and of the main organic components of milk. Our findings stress the importance of the metabolism on the distribution of tritium in the different compartments. Overall, dilution of hydrogen in the environmental compartments was found to play an important role dimming possible isotopic effects even in a food chain chronically exposed to tritium. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Tritium pellet injector results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, P.W.; Bauer, M.L.; Baylor, L.R.; Deleanu, L.E.; Fehling, D.T.; Milora, S.L.; Whitson, J.C.

    1988-01-01

    Injection of solid tritium pellets is considered to be the most promising way of fueling fusion reactors. The Tritium Proof-of- Principle (TPOP) experiment has demonstrated the feasibility of forming and accelerating tritium pellets. This injector is based on the pneumatic pipe-gun concept, in which pellets are formed in situ in the barrel and accelerated with high-pressure gas. This injector is ideal for tritium service because there are no moving parts inside the gun and because no excess tritium is required in the pellet production process. Removal of 3 He from tritium to prevent blocking of the cryopumping action by the noncondensible gas has been demonstrated with a cryogenic separator. Pellet velocities of 1280 m/s have been achieved for 4-mm-diam by 4-mm-long cylindrical tritium pellets with hydrogen propellant at 6.96 MPa (1000 psi). 10 refs., 10 figs

  18. Environmental effects of normal and off-normal releases of tritium from CTR systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKone, T.E.

    1978-08-01

    Near term fusion technology will utilize the deuterium-tritium reaction. To quantify the magnitude of the hazard presented by major tritium release mechanisms, a method is presented for determining doses to the public from releases of tritium as tritiated water vapor or tritiated lithium compounds. Inclusion of this method in a computer model is described. This model uses the Gaussian dispersion method to predict distribution of tritium species in the downwind environment. Movement of tritium into biological systems is determined by treating these systems as a series of interacting water compartments. Dispersion and uptake calculations are applied to two sample sites in order to predict health effects. These effects are compared to the long range effect of introducing tritium into the world water system

  19. JET experiments with tritium and deuterium–tritium mixtures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Horton, L.; Batistoni, P.; Boyer, H.; Challis, C.; Ciric, D.; Donne, A. J. H.; Eriksson, L. G.; Garcia, J.; Garzotti, L.; Gee, S.; Hobirk, J.; Joffrin, E.; Jones, T.; King, D. B.; Knipe, S.; Litaudon, X.; Matthews, G. F.; Monakhov, I.; Murari, A.; Nunes, I.; Riccardo, V.; Sips, A. C. C.; Warren, R.; Weisen, H.; Zastrow, K. D.

    2016-01-01

    Extensive preparations are now underway for an experiment in the Joint European Torus (JET) using tritium and deuterium–tritium mixtures. The goals of this experiment are described as well as the progress that has been made in developing plasma operational scenarios and physics reference pulses for

  20. Design of remote handling equipment for the ITER NBI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oka, Kiyoshi; Tada, Eisuke [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    1999-08-01

    The ITER machine has three Neutral Beam Injectors (NBIs) placed tangential to the plasma at a minimum radius of 6.25 m. During operation, neutrons produced by the D-T reactions will irradiate the NBI structure and it will become radioactive. Radiation levels will be such that all subsequent maintenance of the NBIs must be carried out remotely. The presence of tritium and possibly radioactive dust requires that precautions be taken during maintenance to prevent the escape of these contaminants beyond the prescribed boundaries. The scope of this task is both the development of remote maintenance procedures and the design of the remote handling equipment to handle the NBIs. This report describes the design of remote handling tools for the ion source and its filaments, transfer cask, maintenance time, manufacturing schedule and cost estimation. (author)

  1. Role of soil-to-leaf tritium transfer in controlling leaf tritium dynamics: Comparison of experimental garden and tritium-transfer model results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ota, Masakazu; Kwamena, Nana-Owusua A; Mihok, Steve; Korolevych, Volodymyr

    2017-11-01

    Environmental transfer models assume that organically-bound tritium (OBT) is formed directly from tissue-free water tritium (TFWT) in environmental compartments. Nevertheless, studies in the literature have shown that measured OBT/HTO ratios in environmental samples are variable and generally higher than expected. The importance of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer pathway in controlling the leaf tritium dynamics is not well understood. A model inter-comparison of two tritium transfer models (CTEM-CLASS-TT and SOLVEG-II) was carried out with measured environmental samples from an experimental garden plot set up next to a tritium-processing facility. The garden plot received one of three different irrigation treatments - no external irrigation, irrigation with low tritium water and irrigation with high tritium water. The contrast between the results obtained with the different irrigation treatments provided insights into the impact of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer on the leaf tritium dynamics. Concentrations of TFWT and OBT in the garden plots that were not irrigated or irrigated with low tritium water were variable, responding to the arrival of the HTO-plume from the tritium-processing facility. In contrast, for the plants irrigated with high tritium water, the TFWT concentration remained elevated during the entire experimental period due to a continuous source of high HTO in the soil. Calculated concentrations of OBT in the leaves showed an initial increase followed by quasi-equilibration with the TFWT concentration. In this quasi-equilibrium state, concentrations of OBT remained elevated and unchanged despite the arrivals of the plume. These results from the model inter-comparison demonstrate that soil-to-leaf HTO transfer significantly affects tritium dynamics in leaves and thereby OBT/HTO ratio in the leaf regardless of the atmospheric HTO concentration, only if there is elevated HTO concentrations in the soil. The results of this work indicate that assessment models

  2. Tritium in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Badyaev, V.V.; Egorov, Yu.A.; Sklyarov, V.P.; Stegachev, G.V.

    1981-01-01

    The problem of tritium formation during NPP operation is considered on the basis of available published data. Tritium characteristics are given, sources of the origin of natural and artificial tritium are described. NPP contribution to the total tritium amount in the environment is determined, as well as contribution of each process in the reactor to the quantity of tritium, produced at the NPP. Thermal- and fast-neutron reactions with tritium production are shown, their contribution to the total amount of tritium in a coolant is estimated, taking into account the type of reactor. Data on tritium content in NPP wastes and in the air of working premises are presented. Methods for sampling and sample preparation to measurements as well as the appropriate equipment are considered. Design of the gas-discharge counter of internal filling, used for measuring tritium activity in samples is described [ru

  3. Adaptive responses induced in bone marrow and blood of the rats by tritium contamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savu, D.I.; Ionescu, M.A.; Petcu, I.

    2000-01-01

    It has been more than a decade since the initial report on the phenomenon termed 'adaptive response to ionizing radiation'. Although a number of reports have appeared since then, the understanding of this response is still incomplete. Our group intended to investigate whether the adaptive response could be induced in vivo by low level internal tritium contamination of rats and subsequently exposed to challenging irradiations with fast neutrons or gamma rays. Two experiments were performed and analysed comparatively. In the first experiment the rats have been pre-contaminated for 3 weeks to total doses of 7 cGy and 35 cGy and subsequently irradiated to 1 Gy by fast neutrons (d(13.5)+Be). They were sacrificed after 24 hours. In the second experiment rats were exposed to high gamma irradiation (1.4 Gy) after prior contamination with tritium for 20 days to total doses of 4.4 cGy and 5.1 cGy. We followed up the modifications of two biochemical parameters: (i) the in vitro tritiated thymidine incorporation in the bone marrow cells and (ii) the reduced glutathione level in the blood cells. The thymidine incorporation assay revealed a putative adaptive reaction only for the rats preirradiated with tritiated water to 35 cGy and post-irradiated with fast neutrons. The glutathione content was found to be increased (back to the normal level) for the tritium pre-contaminated and neutron irradiated animals as compared to those exposed only to fast neutrons. The adaptive response is believed to be a protective mechanism that confers resistance to the detrimental effects of ionizing radiation. Our studies suggest that the irradiation with low conditioning doses of tritium (7; 35 cGy) is more efficient in conferring radioresistance to bone marrow and blood cells at the treatment with fast neutrons (1 Gy) than the irradiation with tritium doses of 4.4 and 5.1 cGy followed by gamma rays (1.4 Gy). (authors)

  4. Development of CROPTRIT Model: The Dynamics of Tritium in Agricultural Crops

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galeriu, Dan; Melintescu, Anca [' Horia Hulubei' National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Department of Environmental Physics and Life, 30 Reactorului St., POB MG-6, Bucharest-Magurele, RO-077125 (Romania); Lazar, Catalin [National Agricultural Research and Development Institute Fundulea, 915200 Fundulea, Calarasi County (Romania)

    2014-07-01

    Tritium has a complex behaviour once released into the environment. Tritium can be effectively incorporated into biological systems, including the human body, as organically bound tritium (OBT) with a larger residence time than tritiated water (HTO). In the last years robust models were developed for tritium dynamics in mammals (human included), birds and fish but all of them depend on the knowledge of intake for both terrestrial or aquatic food chain. The uncertainty of the present models for tritium in crops following an accidental atmospheric release, is very high and has impacts on the engineering actions for handling and decreasing the nuclear risk. The gaps in knowledge or the local variability of key parameters were recognised as source of uncertainty. Based on an interdisciplinary approach, CROPTRIT model was gradually developed in the last decade focusing on the detecting of the uncertainty sources. Crops of interest depends on each specific case but wheat and rice cover the majority of the practical needs for radiological risk modelling (the major food in Europe and Asia). An analysis of the processes involved in the Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Transfer (SVAT) of tritium was done in connection with the available experimental results. The agricultural research is focused on the improving of the yield and the crop growth models were developed in relation with the genotype, weather and management of fertilisation and water. For the radiological purposes, the interest lies in the pollutant concentration at harvest and the CROPTRIT model is focused on the influence of various processes contributing to variability and uncertainty of tritium (OBT and HTO) at harvest. The current results evidentiate the role of the stomatal conductance and difficulties at the day/night transitions, as well as the complex behaviour of the maintenance respiration. A review of the experimental results demonstrates the importance of OBT formation in night conditions and difficulties

  5. Environmental aspects of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quisenberry, D.R.

    1979-01-01

    The potential radiological implications of environmental tritium releases must be determined in order to develop a programme for dealing with the tritium inventory predicted for the nuclear power industry which, though still in its infancy, produces tritium in megacurie quantities annually. Should the development of fusion power generation become a reality, it will create a potential source for large releases of tritium, much of it in the gaseous state. At present about 90% of the tritium produced enters the environment through gaseous and liquid effluents and is deposited in the hydrosphere as tritiated water. Tritium can be assimilated by plants and animals and organically bound, regardless of the exposure pathway. However, there appears to be no concentration factor relative to hydrogen at any level of food chains analysed to date. The body burden, for man, is dependent on the exposure pathway and tissue-bound fractions are primarily the result of organically bound tritium in food. (author)

  6. TPE upgrade for enhancing operational safety and improving in-vessel tritium inventory assessment in fusion nuclear environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimada, M., E-mail: Masashi.Shimada@inl.gov [Fusion Safety Program, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States); Taylor, C.N.; Moore-McAteer, L.; Pawelko, R.J. [Fusion Safety Program, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States); Kolasinski, R.D.; Buchenauer, D.A. [Sandia National Laboratories, Hydrogen and Materials Science Department, Livermore, CA 94550 (United States); Cadwallader, L.C.; Merrill, B.J. [Fusion Safety Program, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States)

    2016-11-01

    The Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE) is a unique high-flux linear plasma device that can handle beryllium, tritium, and neutron-irradiated plasma facing materials, and is the only existing device dedicated to evaluate in-vessel tritium inventory in the nuclear environment for fusion safety. The electrical upgrade were recently carried out to enhance operational safety and to improve plasma performance. New DC power supplies and a new control center enable remote plasma operations from outside of the contamination area for tritium, minimizing the possible exposure risk with tritium and beryllium and eliminating heat stress issue. In November 2015, the TPE successfully achieved first deuterium plasma via remote operation after a significant three-year upgrade. Simple linear scaling estimate showed that the TPE is expected to achieve Γ{sub i}{sup max} of >1.0 × 10{sup 23} m{sup −2} s{sup −1} and q{sub heat} of >1 MW m{sup −2} with new power supplies. This upgrade not only improves operational safety of the worker, but also enhances plasma performance to better simulate extreme plasma-material conditions expected in ITER, FNSF, and DEMO for improving in-vessel tritium inventory assessment in fusion nuclear environment.

  7. Tritium-assisted fusion breeders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenspan, E.; Miley, G.H.

    1983-08-01

    This report undertakes a preliminary assessment of the prospects of tritium-assisted D-D fuel cycle fusion breeders. Two well documented fusion power reactor designs - the STARFIRE (D-T fuel cycle) and the WILDCAT (Cat-D fuel cycle) tokamaks - are converted into fusion breeders by replacing the fusion electric blankets with 233 U producing fission suppressed blankets; changing the Cat-D fuel cycle mode of operation by one of the several tritium-assisted D-D-based modes of operation considered; adjusting the reactor power level; and modifying the resulting plant cost to account for the design changes. Three sources of tritium are considered for assisting the D-D fuel cycle: tritium produced in the blankets from lithium or from 3 He and tritium produced in the client fission reactors. The D-D-based fusion breeders using tritium assistance are found to be the most promising economically, especially the Tritium Catalyzed Deuterium mode of operation in which the 3 He exhausted from the plasma is converted, by neutron capture in the blanket, into tritium which is in turn fed back to the plasma. The number of fission reactors of equal thermal power supported by Tritium Catalyzed Deuterium fusion breeders is about 50% higher than that of D-T fusion breeders, and the profitability is found to be slightly lower than that of the D-T fusion breeders

  8. Synthesis of high specific activity tritium-labelled chloroethylcyclohexylnitrosourea and its application to the study of DNA modification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siew, E.L.; Habraken, Yvette; Ludlum, D.B.

    1991-01-01

    A small-scale synthesis of high specific activity, N-(2-chloro-2-[ 3 H-ethyl)-N'-cyclohexyl-N-nitrosourea ([ 3 H]-CCNU) has been accomplished from tritium-labelled ethanolamine. The product is pure by TLC and HPLC analysis and has been used successfully to modify DNA. The overall yield on radioactivity including losses in HPLC purification is approximately 4 percent. The availability of this tritium-labelled compound makes studies of DNA repair and of cellular resistance to N-(2-chloroethyl)-N'-cyclohexyl-N-nitrosourea possible. (author)

  9. In-pile test of tritium release from tritium breeding materials (VOM-21H experiment)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurasawa, Toshimasa; Takeshita, Hidefumi; Watanabe, Hitoshi; Yoshida, Hiroshi.

    1986-10-01

    Material development and blanket design of lithium-based ceramics such as lithium oxide, lithium aluminate, lithium silicate and lithium zirconate have been performed in Japan, United State of America and Europian Communities. Lithium oxide is a most attractive candidate for tritium breeding materials because of its high lithium density, high thermal conductivity and good tritium release performance. This work has been done to clarify the characteristics of tritium release and recovery from Li 2 O by means of in-situ tritium release measurement. The effects of temperature and sweep gas composition on the tritium release were investigated in this VOM-21H Experiment. Good measurement of tritium release was achieved but there were uncertainties in reproduciblity of data. The experimental results show that the role of surface adsorption/desorption makes a significant contribution to the tritium release and tritium inventory. Also, it is necessary to define the rate limiting process either diffusion or surface adsorption/desorption. (author)

  10. Model improvements for tritium transport in DEMO fuel cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santucci, Alessia, E-mail: alessia.santucci@enea.it [Unità Tecnica Fusione – ENEA C. R. Frascati, Via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (Roma) (Italy); Tosti, Silvano [Unità Tecnica Fusione – ENEA C. R. Frascati, Via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (Roma) (Italy); Franza, Fabrizio [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • T inventory and permeation of DEMO blankets have been assessed under pulsed operation. • 1-D model for T transport has been developed for the HCLL DEMO blanket. • The 1-D model evaluated T partial pressure and T permeation rate radial profiles. - Abstract: DEMO operation requires a large amount of tritium, which is directly produced inside the reactor by means of Li-based breeders. During its production, recovering and purification, tritium comes in contact with large surfaces of hot metallic walls, therefore it can permeate through the blanket cooling structure, reach the steam generator and finally the environment. The development of dedicated simulation tools able to predict tritium losses and inventories is necessary to verify the accomplishment of the accepted tritium environmental releases as well as to guarantee a correct machine operation. In this work, the FUS-TPC code is improved by including the possibility to operate in pulsed regime: results in terms of tritium inventory and losses for three pulsed scenarios are shown. Moreover, the development of a 1-D model considering the radial profile of the tritium generation is described. By referring to the inboard segment on the equatorial axis of the helium-cooled lithium–lead (HCLL) blanket, preliminary results of the 1-D model are illustrated: tritium partial pressure in Li–Pb and tritium permeation in the cooling and stiffening plates by assuming several permeation reduction factor (PRF) values. Future improvements will consider the application of the model to all segments of different blanket concepts.

  11. Thermal release of {sup 3}He from tritium aged LaNi{sub 4.25}Al{sub 0.75} hydride

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Staack, G.C.; Crowder, M.L.; Klein, J.E. [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC (United States)

    2015-03-15

    The Savannah River Site Tritium Facilities (SRS-TF) utilizes LANA.75 (LaNi{sub 4.25}Al{sub 0.75})in the tritium process to store hydrogen isotopes. The vast majority of {sup 3}He born from the radioactive decay of tritium stored in LANA.75 is trapped in the hydride metal matrix. The SRS-TF has multiple LANA.75 tritium storage beds that have been retired from service with significant quantities of He-3 trapped in the metal. To support He-3 recovery, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) conducted thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) on a tritium aged LANA.75 sample. TGA-MS testing was performed in an argon environment. Prior to testing, the sample was isotopically exchanged with deuterium to reduce residual tritium and passivated with air to alleviate pyrophoric concerns associated with handling the material outside of an inert glovebox. Analyses indicated that gas release from this sample was bimodal, with peaks near 220 and 490 C. degrees. The first peak consisted of both {sup 3}He and residual hydrogen isotopes, the second was primarily {sup 3}He. The bulk of the gas was released by 600 Celsius degrees. (author)

  12. Properties of tritium and its compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belovodskij, L.F.; Gaevoj, V.K.; Grishmanovskij, V.I.

    1985-01-01

    Ways of tritium preparation and different aspects of its application are considered. Physicochemical properties of this isotope and some compounds of it - tritium oxides, lithium, titanium, zirconium, uranium tritides, tritium organic compounds - are discussed. In particular, diffusion of tritium and its oxide through different materials, tritium oxidation processes, decomposition of tritium-containing compounds under the action of self-radiation are considered. Main radiobiological tritium properties are described

  13. Fixation and long-term accumulation of tritium from tritiated water in an experimental aquatic environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strand, J.A.; Templeton, W.L.; Olson, P.A.

    1975-01-01

    The accumulation of tritium in selected freshwater biota was studied in a 10 m diameter concrete-lined pond at the Hanford Atomic Energy Works. Tritium as tritiated water was introduced for 8 months continuously in the replacement water at a concentration of μCi per liter; and water, biota (carp, clams, crayfish, periphyton, pondweed), and sediments were sampled on a predetermined schedule. The pond was maintained on uncontaminated replacement waters for an additional 8 months to determine the rate of elimination from the ecosystem. After the first day, tissue-free-water tritium in all biota approached an equilibrium with pond water. Final concentration factors of 0.89, 0.87, 0.82, 0.92, 0.77, 0.88 were calculated for carp, clam, crayfish, snail, periphyton, and pondweed. Although highly variable, analyses of pond sediments suggested an initial rapid uptake by the loose water fraction, attaining 0.30 of the pond equilibrium level in three days. There was evidence to suggest a secondary slower rate of uptake that accounted for 0.65 of the pond equilibrium level as determined at seven months. Tissue-bond tritium initially increased rapidly in all biota sampled, but slowed with time. Equilibrium conditions were not reached. Final concentration factors for carp, clam, crayfish, snail, periphyton, and pondweed were calculated to be 0.49, 0.10, 0.53, 0.54, 0.15, and 0.62. Analyses of sediments after removal of the loose water fraction revealed little or no organically bound tritium

  14. FDMH - The tritium model in RODOS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galeriu, D.; Mateescu, G.; Melintescu, A.; Turcanu, C.; Raskob, W.

    2000-01-01

    intensively use of interdisciplinary research. It is developed in a modular structure with a variable time grid according with the physical processes. During the release phase, the transfer processes are modelled with a half hour time step using real time meteorological data, whereas in the next few days weather forecast data are used at a 2-3 hour interval. In the long term prognosis, a site specific synoptic data file is used and the transfer rates are weekly or monthly averaged. Different from other models, using generic transfer parameters or parameters fitted on individual experiments, FDMH derives tritium transfer rates based on physical and physiological process analysis, using scientifically accepted results from interdisciplinary research on among others, land-atmosphere interaction, water cycle in the soil-plant-atmosphere system, plant physiology, photosynthesis and growth and hydrogen metabolism in mammals. A unique feature of FDMH is the coherent modelling of tritium uptake by plant canopies and its conversion to organic matter, using a physiological plant parameters data base which can reproduce plant growth under various pedo-climatic conditions. Furthermore, in order to predict tritium transfer in animal products, in the absence of a complete experimental data base, results from basic research on hydrogen metabolism in mammals is applied. Due to this novel approach, FDMH can be easily customised for any European site and can predict the time evolution of tritiated water or organically bound tritium in up to 22 plants, 12 animal products, 35 foodstuff and the public dose for 7 population groups. The code is developed not only under the HP-UNIX platform for RODOS but also as a stand alone PC version which can be easily upgraded for PSA studies in CANDU reactors. Preliminary validation tests of FDMH show remarkable agreement with recent experimental data on tritium transfer in cereals and potato as well as in cow's milk. Future effort is related to customise the

  15. Synthesis of high specific activity tritium-labelled chloroethylcyclohexylnitrosourea and its application to the study of DNA modification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siew, E.L. (State Univ. of New York, Albany, NY (USA). Dept. of Chemistry); Habraken, Yvette; Ludlum, D.B. (Massachusetts Univ., Worcester, MA (USA). Medical School)

    1991-02-01

    A small-scale synthesis of high specific activity, N-(2-chloro-2-{sup 3}H-ethyl)-N'-cyclohexyl-N-nitrosourea ({sup 3}H-CCNU) has been accomplished from tritium-labelled ethanolamine. The product is pure by TLC and HPLC analysis and has been used successfully to modify DNA. The overall yield on radioactivity including losses in HPLC purification is approximately 4 percent. The availability of this tritium-labelled compound makes studies of DNA repair and of cellular resistance to N-(2-chloroethyl)-N'-cyclohexyl-N-nitrosourea possible. (author).

  16. Comparison of tritium production facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Kaihui; Huang Jinhua

    2002-01-01

    Detailed investigation and research on the source of tritium, tritium production facilities and their comparison are presented based on the basic information about tritium. The characteristics of three types of proposed tritium production facilities, i.e., fissile type, accelerator production tritium (APT) and fusion type, are presented. APT shows many advantages except its rather high cost; fusion reactors appear to offer improved safety and environmental impacts, in particular, tritium production based on the fusion-based neutron source costs much lower and directly helps the development of fusion energy source

  17. Protection against tritium radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bal, Georges

    1964-05-01

    This report presents the main characteristics of tritium, describes how it is produced as a natural or as an artificial radio-element. It outlines the hazards related to this material, presents how materials and tools are contaminated and decontaminated. It addresses the issue of permissible maximum limits: factors of assessment of the risk induced by tritium, maximum permissible activity in body water, maximum permissible concentrations in the atmosphere. It describes the measurement of tritium activity: generalities, measurement of gas activity and of tritiated water steam, tritium-induced ionisation in an ionisation chamber, measurement systems using ionisation chambers, discontinuous detection of tritium-containing water in the air, detection of surface contamination [fr

  18. ARIES-I tritium system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sze, D.K.; Tam, S.W.; Billone, M.C.; Hassanein, A.M.; Martin, R.

    1990-09-01

    A key safety concern in a D-T fusion reactor is the tritium inventory. There are three components in a fusion reactor with potentially large inventories, i.e., the blanket, the fuel processing system and the plasma facing components. The ARIES team selected the material combinations, decided the operating conditions and refined the processing systems, with the aiming of minimizing the tritium inventories and leakage. The total tritium inventory for the ARIES-I reactor is only 700 g. This paper discussed the calculations and assumptions we made for the low tritium inventory. We also addressed the uncertainties about the tritium inventory. 13 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

  19. Parameters governing tritium extraction rates from lithiated ceramics. The case of lithium aluminate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roth, E.; Botter, F.; Briec, M.; Rasneur, B.; Roux, N.

    1986-10-01

    Significant discrepancies between results of authors comparing tritium extraction rates from different lithiated ceramics are found in the literature. Recent results obtained at C.E.A., principally on lithium aluminates, show that, for a given ceramic, parameters other than textural (grain size, porosity, etc...) may play a predominant role. Enhancements of extraction rates have been induced by adding MgO to the solid or H 2 and CO to the sweep gas, but other factors, probably related to the surface condition of samples, may produce even greater effects. Results of investigations of the influence of exposure to air at given partial pressures of water vapor or of CO 2 show that strict preirradiation procedures must be adopted for preparation, storage and handling of ceramic tritium breeders

  20. Tritium control in fusion reactor materials: A model for Tritium Extracting System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zucchetti, Massimo; Utili, Marco; Nicolotti, Iuri; Ying, Alice; Franza, Fabrizio; Abdou, Mohamed

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A modeling work has been performed to address these issues in view of its utilization for the TES (Tritium Extraction System), in the case of the HCPB TBM and for a Molecular sieve as adsorbent material. • A computational model has been setup and tested in this paper. • The results of experimental measurement of fundamental parameters such as mass transfer coefficients have been implemented in the model. • It turns out the capability to model the extraction process of gaseous tritium compounds and to estimate the breakthrough curves of the two main tritium gaseous species (H2 and HT). - Abstract: In fusion reactors, tritium is bred by lithium isotopes inside the blanket and then extracted. However, tritium can contaminate the reactor structures, and can be eventually released into the environment. Tritium in reactor components should therefore be kept under close control throughout the fusion reactor lifetime, bearing in mind the risk of accidents, the need for maintenance and the detritiation of dismantled reactor components before their re-use or disposal. A modeling work has been performed to address these issues in view of its utilization for the TES (Tritium Extraction System), in the case of the HCPB TBM and for a molecular sieve as adsorbent material. A computational model has been setup and tested. The results of experimental measurement of fundamental parameters such as mass transfer coefficients have been implemented in the model. It turns out the capability of the model to describe the extraction process of gaseous tritium compounds and to estimate the breakthrough curves of the two main tritium gaseous species (H2 and HT).

  1. Tritium control in fusion reactor materials: A model for Tritium Extracting System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zucchetti, Massimo [DENERG, Politecnico di Torino (Italy); Utili, Marco, E-mail: marco.utili@enea.it [ENEA UTIS – C.R. Brasimone, Bacino del Brasimone, Camugnano, BO (Italy); Nicolotti, Iuri [DENERG, Politecnico di Torino (Italy); Ying, Alice [University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA (United States); Franza, Fabrizio [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany); Abdou, Mohamed [University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA (United States)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • A modeling work has been performed to address these issues in view of its utilization for the TES (Tritium Extraction System), in the case of the HCPB TBM and for a Molecular sieve as adsorbent material. • A computational model has been setup and tested in this paper. • The results of experimental measurement of fundamental parameters such as mass transfer coefficients have been implemented in the model. • It turns out the capability to model the extraction process of gaseous tritium compounds and to estimate the breakthrough curves of the two main tritium gaseous species (H2 and HT). - Abstract: In fusion reactors, tritium is bred by lithium isotopes inside the blanket and then extracted. However, tritium can contaminate the reactor structures, and can be eventually released into the environment. Tritium in reactor components should therefore be kept under close control throughout the fusion reactor lifetime, bearing in mind the risk of accidents, the need for maintenance and the detritiation of dismantled reactor components before their re-use or disposal. A modeling work has been performed to address these issues in view of its utilization for the TES (Tritium Extraction System), in the case of the HCPB TBM and for a molecular sieve as adsorbent material. A computational model has been setup and tested. The results of experimental measurement of fundamental parameters such as mass transfer coefficients have been implemented in the model. It turns out the capability of the model to describe the extraction process of gaseous tritium compounds and to estimate the breakthrough curves of the two main tritium gaseous species (H2 and HT).

  2. The Tritium White Paper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    This publication proposes a synthesis of the activities of two work-groups between May 2008 and April 2010. It reports the ASN's (the French Agency for Nuclear Safety) point of view, describes its activities and actions, and gives some recommendations. It gives a large and detailed overview of the knowledge status on tritium: tritium source inventory, tritium origin, management processes, capture techniques, reduction, tritium metrology, impact on the environment, impacts on human beings

  3. Tritium clouds environmental impact in air into the Western Mediterranean Basin evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castro, P.; Velarde, M.; Ardao, J.; Perlado, J.M.; Sedano, L.

    2012-01-01

    The paper considers short-term releases of tritium (mainly but not only tritium hydride (HT)) to the atmosphere from a potential ITER-like fusion reactor located in the Mediterranean Basin and explores if the short range legal exposure limits are exceeded (both locally and downwind). For this, a coupled Lagrangian ECMWF/FLEXPART model has been used to follow real time releases of tritium. This tool was analyzed for nominal tritium operational conditions under selected incidental conditions to determine resultant local and Western Mediterranean effects, together with hourly observations of wind, to provide a short-range approximation of tritium cloud behavior. Since our results cannot be compared with radiological station measurements of tritium in air, we use the NORMTRI Gaussian model. We demonstrate an overestimation of the sequence of tritium concentrations in the atmosphere, close to the reactor, estimated with this model when compared with ECMWF/FLEXPART results. A Gaussian “mesoscale” qualification tool has been used to validate the ECMWF/FLEXPART for winter 2010/spring 2011 with a database of the HT plumes. It is considered that NORMTRI allows evaluation of tritium-in-air-plume patterns and its contribution to doses.

  4. Conceptual design report, plutonium stabilization and handling,project W-460

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weiss, E.V.

    1997-03-06

    Project W-460, Plutonium Stabilization and Handling, encompasses procurement and installation of a Stabilization and Packaging System (SPS) to oxidize and package for long term storage remaining plutonium-bearing special nuclear materials currently in inventory at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP), and modification of vault equipment to allow storage of resulting packages of stabilized SNM for up to fifty years. This Conceptual Design Report (CDR) provides conceptual design details for the vault modification, site preparation and site interface with the purchased SPS. Two concepts are described for vault configuration; acceleration of this phase of the project did not allow completion of analysis which would clearly identify a preferred approach.

  5. Tritium in precipitation of Vostok (Antarctica): conclusions on the tritium latitude effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hebert, Detlef

    2011-09-01

    During the Antarctic summer of 1985 near the Soviet Antarctic station Vostok, firn samples for tritium measurements were obtained down to a depth of 2.40 m. The results of the tritium measurements are presented and discussed. Based on this and other data, conclusions regarding the tritium latitude effect are derived.

  6. Tritium behavior in ITER beryllium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longhurst, G.R.

    1990-10-01

    The beryllium neutron multiplier in the ITER breeding blanket will generate tritium through transmutations. That tritium constitutes a safety hazard. Experiments evaluating tritium storage and release mechanisms have shown that most of the tritium comes out in a burst during thermal ramping. A small fraction of retained tritium is released by thermally activated processes. Analysis of recent experimental data shows that most of the tritium resides in helium bubbles. That tritium is released when the bubbles undergo swelling sufficient to develop porosity that connects with the surface. That appears to occur when swelling reaches about 10--15%. Other tritium appears to be stored chemically at oxide inclusions, probably as Be(OT) 2 . That component is released by thermal activation. There is considerable variation in published values for tritium diffusion through the beryllium and solubility in it. Data from experiments using highly irradiated beryllium from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory showed diffusivity generally in line with the most commonly accepted values for fully dense material. Lower density material, planned for use in the ITER blanket may have very short diffusion times because of the open structure. The beryllium multiplier of the ITER breeding blanket was analyzed for tritium release characteristics using temperature and helium production figures at the midplane generated in support of the ITER Summer Workshop, 1990 in Garching. Ordinary operation, either in Physics or Technology phases, should not result in the release of tritium trapped in the helium bubbles. Temperature excursions above 600 degree C result in large-scale release of that tritium. 29 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs

  7. High-pressure tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coffin, D.O.

    1976-01-01

    Some solutions to problems of compressing and containing tritium gas to 200 MPa at 700 0 K are discussed. The principal emphasis is on commercial compressors and high-pressure equipment that can be easily modified by the researcher for safe use with tritium. Experience with metal bellows and diaphragm compressors has been favorable. Selection of materials, fittings, and gauges for high-pressure tritium work is also reviewed briefly

  8. Extreme coal handling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bradbury, S; Homleid, D. [Air Control Science Inc. (United States)

    2004-04-01

    Within the journals 'Focus on O & M' is a short article describing modifications to coal handling systems at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, which is supplied with power and heat from a subbituminous coal-fired central plant. Measures to reduce dust include addition of an enclosed recirculation chamber at each transfer point and new chute designs to reduce coal velocity, turbulence, and induced air. The modifications were developed by Air Control Science (ACS). 7 figs., 1 tab.

  9. Procedures for the retention of gaseous tritium released from a tritium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutowski, H.; Bracha, M.

    1987-01-01

    General aim of the study is the comparison of two alternative processes for the retention of gaseous tritium which is released during normal operation and emergency operation in a tritium-enrichment-plant. Two processes for the retention of tritium were compared: 1. Oxidation-process. The hydrogen-gas containing HT will be burnt on an oxidation catalyst to H 2 O and HTO. In a subsequent step the water will be removed from the process by condensation, freezing and adsorption. 2. TROC-process (Tritium Removal by Organic Compounds). The tritium is added to an organic compound (acid) via catalyst. This reaction is irreversible and leads to solid products. (orig./RB) [de

  10. Tritium metrology within different media: focus on organically bound tritium (OBT); Metrologie du tritium dans differentes matrices: cas du tritium organiquement lie (TOL)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baglan, N. [CEA Bruyeres-le-Chatel, DIF, 91 (France); Ansoborlo, E. [CEA Marcoule, DEN/DRCP/CETAMA, 30 (France); Cossonnet, C. [IRSN, DEI/STEME/LMRE, 91 - Orsay (France); Fouhal, L. [CEA Cadarache, DEN/D2S/LANSE, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Deniau, I.; Mokili, M. [SUBATECH/IN2P3/CNRS, 44 - Nantes (France); Henry, A. [AREVA-NC/DQSSE/PR - La Hague, 50 - Beaumont-Hague, (France); Fourre, E. [CEA Saclay, DSM/DRECAM/LSCE, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Olivier, A. [GEA-Marine nationale, 50 - Cherbourg (France)

    2010-07-15

    The measurement of tritium in its various forms (mainly gas (HT), water (HTO) or solid (hydrides)), is an important key step for evaluating health and environmental risks and finally, dosimetry assessment. In vegetable or animal samples, tritium is often associated with the free water fraction, but may be included in the organic form as organically bound tritium (OBT). In this case, 2 forms exist: (i) a fraction called exchangeable or labile (E-OBT), bound to oxygen and nitrogen atoms, and (ii) a so-called non-exchangeable fraction (NE-OBT) bound to carbon atoms. The main technique for tritium analysis is liquid scintillation, which enables one to measure concentrations in the range of several Bq.L{sup -1}. The standards (AFNOR, ISO) published to date relate only to tritium analysis in water. Only one CETAMA method addresses OBT analysis in biological environments. This method has been tested since 2001 through intercomparison circuits on grass samples collected from the environment. Regarding tritium analysis in water, the strengths are reliability of this analysis at low concentrations (order of Bq.L{sup -1}), robustness and simplicity, and weaknesses are linked to problems of background, conservation and contamination of samples. Concerning OBT analysis, the analysis is reliable for values around 50 Bq.kg{sup -1} of fresh sample. The weaknesses are problems of contamination, reproducibility, analysis time (2 to 6 days) and lack of reference materials. The difficulty to date is the separation between E-OBT and NE-OBT, that will need experimental validation. (authors)

  11. Tritium in plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vichot, L.; Losset, Y.

    2009-01-01

    The presence of tritium in the environment stems from its natural production by cosmic rays, from the fallout of the nuclear weapon tests between 1953 and 1964, and locally from nuclear industry activities. A part of the tritiated water contained in the foliage of plants is turned into organically bound tritium (OBT) by photosynthesis. The tritium of OBT, that is not exchangeable and then piles up in the plant, can be used as a marker of the past. It has been shown that the quantity of OBT contained in the age-rings of an oak that grew near the CEA center of Valduc was directly correlated with the tritium releases of the center. (A.C.)

  12. Environmental tritium in trees

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, R.M.

    1979-01-01

    The distribution of environmental tritium in the free water and organically bound hydrogen of trees growing in the vicinity of the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL) has been studied. The regional dispersal of HTO in the atmosphere has been observed by surveying the tritium content of leaf moisture. Measurement of the distribution of organically bound tritium in the wood of tree ring sequences has given information on past concentrations of HTO taken up by trees growing in the CRNL Liquid Waste Disposal Area. For samples at background environmental levels, cellulose separation and analysis was done. The pattern of bomb tritium in precipitation of 1955-68 was observed to be preserved in the organically bound tritium of a tree ring sequence. Reactor tritium was discernible in a tree growing at a distance of 10 km from CRNL. These techniques provide convenient means of monitoring dispersal of HTO from nuclear facilities. (author)

  13. Tritium concentrations in tree ring cellulose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaji, Toshio; Momoshima, Noriyuki; Takashima, Yoshimasa.

    1989-01-01

    Measurements of tritium (tissue bound tritium; TBT) concentration in tree rings are presented and discussed. Such measurement is expected to provide a useful means of estimating the tritium level in the environment in the past. The concentration of tritium bound in the tissue (TBT) in a tree ring considered to reflect the environmental tritium level in the area at the time of the formation of the ring, while the concentration of tritium in the free water in the tissue represents the current environmental tritium level. First, tritium concentration in tree ring cellulose sampled from a cedar tree grown in a typical environment in Fukuoka Prefecture is compared with the tritium concentration in precipitation in Tokyo. Results show that the year-to-year variations in the tritium concentration in the tree rings agree well with those in precipitation. The maximum concentration, which occurred in 1963, is attibuted to atmospheric nuclear testing which was performed frequently during the 1961 - 1963 period. Measurement is also made of the tritium concentration in tree ring cellulose sampled from a pine tree grown near the Isotope Center of Kyushu University (Fukuoka). Results indicate that the background level is higher probably due to the release of tritium from the facilities around the pine tree. Thus, measurement of tritium in tree ring cellulose clearly shows the year-to-year variation in the tritium concentration in the atmosphere. (N.K.)

  14. Development on the cryogenic hydrogen isotopes distillation process technology for tritium removal (Final report)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sung, Ki Woung; Kim, Yong Ik; Na, Jeong Won; Ku, Jae Hyu; Kim, Kwang Rak; Jeong, Yong Won; Lee, Han Soo; Cho, Young Hyun; Ahn, Do Hee; Baek, Seung Woo; Kang, Hee Seok; Kim, You Sun

    1995-12-01

    While tritium exposure to the site-workers in Wolsung NPP is up to about 40% of the total personnel exposure, Ministry of Science and Technology has asked tritium removal facility for requirement of post heavy-water reactor construction. For the purpose of essential removal of tritium from the Wolsung heavy-water reactor system, a preliminary study on the cryogenic Ar-N 2 and H 2 -D 2 distillation process for development of liquid-phase catalytic exchange cryogenic hydrogen distillation process technology. The Ar-N 2 distillation column showed good performance with approximately 97% of final Ar concentration, and a computer simulation code was modified using these data. A simulation code developed for cryogenic hydrogen isotopes (H 2 , HD, D 2 , HT, DT, T 2 ) distillation column showed good performance after comparison with the result of a JAERI code, and a H 2 -D 2 distillation column was made. Gas chromatography for hydrogen isotopes analysis was established using a vacuum sampling loop, and a schematic diagram of H 2 -D 2 distillation process was suggested. A feasibility on modification of H 2 -D 2 distillation process control system using Laser Raman Spectroscopy was studied, and the consideration points for tritium storage system for Wolsung tritium removal facility was suggested. 31 tabs., 79 figs., 68 refs. (Author)

  15. HYLIFE-II tritium management system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longhurst, G.R.; Dolan, T.J.

    1993-06-01

    The tritium management system performs seven functions: (1) tritium gas removal from the blast chamber, (2) tritium removal from the Flibe, (3) tritium removal from helium sweep gas, (4) tritium removal from room air, (5) hydrogen isotope separation, (6) release of non-hazardous gases through the stack, (7) fixation and disposal of hazardous effluents. About 2 TBq/s (5 MCi/day) of tritium is bred in the Flibe (Li 2 BeF 4 ) molten salt coolant by neutron absorption. Tritium removal is accomplished by a two-stage vacuum disengager in each of three steam generator loops. Each stage consists of a spray of 0.4 mm diameter, hot Flibe droplets into a vacuum chamber 4 m in diameter and 7 m tall. As droplets fall downward into the vacuum, most of the tritium diffuses out and is pumped away. A fraction Φ∼10 -5 of the tritium remains in the Flibe as it leaves the second stage of the vacuum disengager, and about 24% of the remaining tritium penetrates through the steam generator tubes, per pass, so the net leakage into the steam system is about 4.7 MBq/s (11 Ci/day). The required Flibe pumping power for the vacuum disengager system is 6.6 MW. With Flibe primary coolant and a vacuum disengager, an intermediate coolant loop is not needed to prevent tritium from leaking into the steam system. An experiment is needed to demonstrate vacuum disengager operation with Flibe. A secondary containment shell with helium sweep gas captures the tritium permeating out of the Flibe ducts, limiting leaks there to about 1 Ci/day. The tritium inventory in the reactor is about 190 g, residing mostly in the large Flibe recirculation duct walls. The total cost of the tritium management system is 92 M$, of which the vacuum disengagers cost = 56%, the blast chamber vacuum system = 15%, the cryogenic plant = 9%, the emergency air cleanup and waste treatment systems each = 6%, the protium removal system = 3%, and the fuel storage system and inert gas system each = 2%

  16. Tritium release of titan-tritium layers in air, aqueous solutions and living organisms of animals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biro, J.; Feher, I.; Mate, L.; Varga, L.

    1978-01-01

    Samples containing 400-1100 MBq (10-30 mCi) tritium were prepared and the effect of storage time on tritium release was followed. In 250 days one thousandth of the tritium was released in aqueous solution; in air the ratio of release per hour fell in the range of 10 -6 -10 -7 . Ti-T plates with different storage times were surgically placed in the abdomen of rats. Their tritium release dropped with time and the activity appearing in the circulation was lower than that of plates with 5-6 orders of magnitude. Checking the tritium incorporation of neutron generator operators it must be held in mind that only a minor part of tritium can be detected by the measurement of the tritium content of urine. (author)

  17. A comparative study on uranium and ZrCo for the storage of tritium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Summi; Paek, Seungwoo; Lee, Minsoo; Kim, Kwangrag; Ahn, Dohee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Sohn, Soonhwan; Song, Kyumin [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-07-01

    Safe handling, transport, and storage of tritium requires several condition: very low equilibrium pressures over the tritide at room temperature, high dissociation pressure at moderate temperatures, existence of plateau regions in the loading/deloading isotherms, fast adsorption/desorption kinetics, no disproportionation, low reactivity of the metal/tritide system towards air and the major contaminants, low pyrophoricity, and low aging effects caused by the accumulated of He-3.

  18. A comparative study on uranium and ZrCo for the storage of tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Summi; Paek, Seungwoo; Lee, Minsoo; Kim, Kwangrag; Ahn, Dohee; Sohn, Soonhwan; Song, Kyumin

    2007-01-01

    Safe handling, transport, and storage of tritium requires several condition: very low equilibrium pressures over the tritide at room temperature, high dissociation pressure at moderate temperatures, existence of plateau regions in the loading/deloading isotherms, fast adsorption/desorption kinetics, no disproportionation, low reactivity of the metal/tritide system towards air and the major contaminants, low pyrophoricity, and low aging effects caused by the accumulated of He-3

  19. Tritium accounting for PHWR plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nair, P.S.; Duraisamy, S.

    2012-01-01

    Tritium, the radioactive isotope of hydrogen, is produced as a byproduct of the nuclear reactions in the nuclear power plants. In a Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) tritium activity is produced in the Heat Transport and Moderator systems due to neutron activation of deuterium in heavy water used in these systems. Tritium activity build up occurs in some of the water systems in the PHWR plants through pick up from the plant atmosphere, inadvertent D 2 O ingress from other systems or transfer during processes. The tritium, produced by the neutron induced reactions in different systems in the reactor undergoes multiple processes such as escape through leaks, storage, transfer to external locations, decay, evaporation and diffusion and discharge though waste streams. Change of location of tritium inventory takes place during intentional transfer of heavy water, both reactor grade and downgraded, from one system to another. Tritium accounting is the application of accounting techniques to maintain knowledge of the tritium inventory present in different systems of a facility and to construct activity balances to detect any discrepancy in the physical inventories. It involves identification of all the tritium hold ups, transfers and storages as well as measurement of tritium inventories in various compartments, decay corrections, environmental release estimations and evaluation of activity generation during the accounting period. This paper describes a methodology for creating tritium inventory balance based on periodic physical inventory taking, tritium build up, decay and release estimations. Tritium accounting in the PHWR plants can prove to be an effective regulatory tool to monitor its loss as well as unaccounted release to the environment. (author)

  20. Tritium permeation through iron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagi, Hideki; Hayashi, Yasunori

    1989-01-01

    An experimental method for measuring diffusion coefficients and permeation rates of tritium in metals around room temperature has been established, and their values in iron have been obtained by using the method. Permeation rates of tritium and hydrogen through iron were measured by the electrochemical method in which a tritiated aqueous solution was used as a cathodic electrolyte. Tritium and hydrogen were introduced from one side of a membrane specimen by cathodic polarization, while at the other side of the specimen the permeating tritium and hydrogen were extracted by potentiostatical ionization. The amount of permeated hydrogen was obtained by integrating the anodic current, and that of tritium was determined by measuring the radioactivity of the electrolyte sampled from the extraction side. Diffusion coefficients of tritium (D T ) and hydrogen (D H ) were determined from the time lag of tritium and hydrogen permeation. D T =9x10 -10 m 2 /s and D H =4x10 -9 m 2 /s at 286 K for annealed iron specimens. These values of D T and D H were compared with the previous data of the diffusion coefficients of hydrogen and deuterium, and the isotope effect in diffusion was discussed. (orig.)

  1. Tritium oxidation and exchange: preliminary studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillips, J.E.; Easterly, C.E.

    1978-05-01

    The radiological hazard resulting from an exposure to either tritium oxide or tritium gas is discussed and the factors contributing to the hazard are presented. From the discussion it appears that an exposure to tritium oxide vapor is 10 4 to 10 5 times more hazardous than exposure to tritium gas. Present and future sources of tritium are briefly considered and indicate that most of the tritium has been and is being released as tritium oxide. The likelihood of gaseous releases, however, is expected to increase in the future, calling to task the present general release assumption that 100% of all tritium released is as oxide. Accurate evaluation of the hazards from a gaseous release will require a knowledge of the conversion rate of tritium gas to tritium oxide. An experiment for determining the conversion rate of tritium gas to tritium oxide is presented along with some preliminary data. The conversion rates obtained for low initial concentrations (10 -4 to 10 -1 mCi/ml) indicate the conversion may proceed more rapidly than would be expected from an extrapolation of previous data taken at higher concentrations

  2. Problems of anthropogenic tritium limitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kochetkov О.A.

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This article contains the current situation in respect to the environmental concentrations of anthropogenic and natural tritium. There are presented and analyzed domestic standards for НТО of all Radiation Safety Standards (NRB, as well as the regulations analyzed for tritium in drinking water taken in other countries today. This article deals with the experience of limitation of tritium and focuses on the main problem of rationing of tritium — rationing of organically bound tritium.

  3. Tritium in plants; Le tritium dans la matiere organique des vegetaux

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vichot, L.; Losset, Y. [CEA Valduc, 21 - Is-sur-Tille (France)

    2009-07-01

    The presence of tritium in the environment stems from its natural production by cosmic rays, from the fallout of the nuclear weapon tests between 1953 and 1964, and locally from nuclear industry activities. A part of the tritiated water contained in the foliage of plants is turned into organically bound tritium (OBT) by photosynthesis. The tritium of OBT, that is not exchangeable and then piles up in the plant, can be used as a marker of the past. It has been shown that the quantity of OBT contained in the age-rings of an oak that grew near the CEA center of Valduc was directly correlated with the tritium releases of the center. (A.C.)

  4. Exploration for tritium-free water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, S.D.

    1982-10-01

    Tritium-free water is generally required in large quantities for the preparation of laboratory tritium standards as well as blanks which are used to determine background count rate in the measurement of low level tritium concentrations in water samples by liquid scintillation counting method. In order to meet the requirements of tritium-free water and save the recurring expenditure on its import from abroad, exploration for locating its source in the country was undertaken. Water samples collected from a few possible sources were analysed precisely for their tritium content at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria and a source of tritium-free water was determined. (authors)

  5. JET Tokamak, preparation of a safety case for tritium operations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boyer, Helen, E-mail: helen.boyer@ccfe.ac.uk [CCFE, Culham Science Centre (United Kingdom); Plummer, David; Johnston, Jane [CCFE, Culham Science Centre (United Kingdom)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • A safety case incorporating technical and ITER related upgrades. • Hazard analysis reworked to include new modelling assessments. • Fitness for purpose assessment of safety controls. - Abstract: A new Safety Case is required to permit tritium operations on JET during the forthcoming DTE2 campaign. The outputs, benefits and lessons learned associated with the production of this Safety Case are presented. The changes that have occurred to the Safety Case methodology since the last JET tritium Safety Case are reviewed. Consideration is given to the effects of modifications, particularly ITER related changes, made to the JET and the impact these have on the hazard assessments as well as normal operations. Several specialized assessments, including recent MELCOR modelling, have been undertaken to support the production of this Safety Case and the impact of these assessments is outlined. Discussion of the preliminary actions being taken to progress implementation of this Safety Case is provided, highlighting new methods to improve the dissemination of the key Safety Case results to the plant operators. Finally, the work required to complete this Safety Case, before the next tritium campaign, is summarized.

  6. Tritium in the aquatic environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blaylock, B.G.; Hoffman, F.O.; Frank, M.L.

    1986-02-01

    Tritium is of environmental importance because it is released from nuclear facilities in relatively large quantities and because it has a half life of 12.26 y. Most of the tritium released into the atmosphere eventually reaches the aqueous environment, where it is rapidly taken up by aquatic organisms. This paper reviews the current literature on tritium in the aquatic environment. Conclusions from the review, which covered studies of algae, aquatic macrophytes, invertebrates, fish, and the food chain, were that aquatic organisms incorporate tritium into their tissue-free water very rapidly and reach concentrations near those of the external medium. The rate at which tritium from tritiated water is incorporated into the organic matter of cells is slower than the rate of its incorporation into the tissue-free water. If organisms consume tritiated food, incorporation of tritium into the organic matter is faster, and a higher tritium concentration is reached than when the organisms are exposed to only tritiated water alone. Incorporation of tritium bound to molecules into the organic matter depends on the chemical form of the ''carrier'' molecule. No evidence was found that biomagnification of tritium occurs at higher trophic levels. Radiation doses from tritium releases to large populations of humans will most likely come from the consumption of contaminated water rather than contaminated aquatic food products

  7. Conceptual design of CFETR divertor remote handling compatible structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai, Huaichu; Yao, Damao; Cao, Lei; Zhou, Zibo; Li, Lei

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Conceptual design for the CFETR divertor have been proposed, especially the divertor remote handling compatible structure. • The degrees of freedom of the divertor are analyzed in order to validate the design the divertor supports structure. • Besides the ITER-like scheme, a new scheme for the divertor remote handling compatible supports is proposed, that is the rack and pinion mechanism. • The installation/removel process is verified through simulation in Delmia in order to check design quality for remote handling requirements. - Abstract: Divertor is one of key components of tokamak fusion reactor. The CFETR is China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor. Its divertor will expose to tritium environment and neutron radiation. Materials of the divertor will be radioactived, and cannot be handled by personnel directly. To develop structure which compatible with robots handle for installation, maintenance and removing is required. This paper introduces a conceptual design of CFETR divertor module which compatible with remote handling end-effectors. The divertor module is confined by inner and outer support. The inner support is only confined divertor module radial, toroidal and vertical moving freedom degrees, but not confined rotating freedom degrees. The outer support is the structure that can confine rotating freedom degrees and should also be compatible with remote handling end-effectors.

  8. Conceptual design of CFETR divertor remote handling compatible structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dai, Huaichu, E-mail: yaodm@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Yao, Damao; Cao, Lei; Zhou, Zibo; Li, Lei [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • Conceptual design for the CFETR divertor have been proposed, especially the divertor remote handling compatible structure. • The degrees of freedom of the divertor are analyzed in order to validate the design the divertor supports structure. • Besides the ITER-like scheme, a new scheme for the divertor remote handling compatible supports is proposed, that is the rack and pinion mechanism. • The installation/removel process is verified through simulation in Delmia in order to check design quality for remote handling requirements. - Abstract: Divertor is one of key components of tokamak fusion reactor. The CFETR is China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor. Its divertor will expose to tritium environment and neutron radiation. Materials of the divertor will be radioactived, and cannot be handled by personnel directly. To develop structure which compatible with robots handle for installation, maintenance and removing is required. This paper introduces a conceptual design of CFETR divertor module which compatible with remote handling end-effectors. The divertor module is confined by inner and outer support. The inner support is only confined divertor module radial, toroidal and vertical moving freedom degrees, but not confined rotating freedom degrees. The outer support is the structure that can confine rotating freedom degrees and should also be compatible with remote handling end-effectors.

  9. Relevance of d-D interactions on neutron and tritium production in IFMIF-EVEDA accelerator prototype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayoral, A.; Sanz, J.; Sauvan, P.; Lopez, D.; Garcia, M.; Ogando, F.

    2011-01-01

    In the IFMIF-EVEDA accelerator prototype, deuterium is implanted in the components due to beam losses and in the beam dump, where the beam is stopped. The interaction of the deuterons with the deuterium previously implanted leads to the production of neutrons and tritium, which are important issues for radioprotection and safety analysis. A methodology to assess these production pathways in more realistic approach has been developed. The new tools and their main achievement are: (i) an 'effective diffusivity coefficient' (deduced from available experimental data) that enables simulation of the diffusion phase, and (ii) the MCUNED code (able to handle deuteron transport libraries) allows to simulate the transport-slowdown of deuteron/tritium (to get the concentration profiles) and the neutron/tritium productions from d-Cu and d-D for up to 9 MeV incident deuteron. The results with/without theses tools are presented and their effect on the relevance of d-D sources versus d-Cu is evaluated.

  10. Tritium protective clothing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuller, T.P.; Easterly, C.E.

    1979-06-01

    Occupational exposures to radiation from tritium received at present nuclear facilities and potential exposures at future fusion reactor facilities demonstrate the need for improved protective clothing. Important areas relating to increased protection factors of tritium protective ventilation suits are discussed. These areas include permeation processes of tritium through materials, various tests of film permeability, selection and availability of suit materials, suit designs, and administrative procedures. The phenomenological nature of film permeability calls for more standardized and universal test methods, which would increase the amount of directly useful information on impermeable materials. Improvements in suit designs could be expedited and better communicated to the health physics community by centralizing devlopmental equipment, manpower, and expertise in the field of tritium protection to one or two authoritative institutions

  11. Tritium protective clothing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuller, T. P.; Easterly, C. E.

    1979-06-01

    Occupational exposures to radiation from tritium received at present nuclear facilities and potential exposures at future fusion reactor facilities demonstrate the need for improved protective clothing. Important areas relating to increased protection factors of tritium protective ventilation suits are discussed. These areas include permeation processes of tritium through materials, various tests of film permeability, selection and availability of suit materials, suit designs, and administrative procedures. The phenomenological nature of film permeability calls for more standardized and universal test methods, which would increase the amount of directly useful information on impermeable materials. Improvements in suit designs could be expedited and better communicated to the health physics community by centralizing devlopmental equipment, manpower, and expertise in the field of tritium protection to one or two authoritative institutions.

  12. Technology developments for improved tritium management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, J.M.; Spagnolo, D.A.

    1994-06-01

    Tritium technology developments have been an integral part of the advancement of CANDU reactor technology. An understanding of tritium behaviour within the heavy-water systems has led to improvements in tritium recovery processes, tritium measurement techniques and overall tritium control. Detritiation technology has been put in place as part of heavy water and tritium management practices. The advances made in these technologies are summarized. (author). 20 refs., 5 figs

  13. Development of a dynamic compartment model for the prediction of tritium behavior around NPPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Heui-Joo; Lee, Hansoo; Kang, Hee Suk; Choi, Yong Ho

    2003-01-01

    KAERI has developed a new model to find the relationship between the tritium release rate and tritium concentration in the environment. The model was based upon a dynamic compartment model. In this paper three kinds of global tritium cycling model were compared to estimate the natural background concentration of tritium in Korea. The dry and wet deposition rates were calculated using a computer program called DEPOS to derive a source term. The mechanisms considered for the transfer of tritium between the compartments were evaporation, groundwater flow, infiltration, runoff, and hydrodynamic dispersion. Also, transfer coefficients between the compartments were obtained using realistic geographical data. In order to illustrate the model various release scenarios were developed, and the change of tritium concentration in groundwater and surface water around the nuclear power plants was estimated. (author)

  14. Tritium monitor and collection system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourne, G.L.; Meikrantz, D.H.; Ely, W.E.; Tuggle, D.G.; Grafwallner, E.G.; Wickham, K.L.; Maltrud, H.R.; Baker, J.D.

    1992-01-14

    This system measures tritium on-line and collects tritium from a flowing inert gas stream. It separates the tritium from other non-hydrogen isotope contaminating gases, whether radioactive or not. The collecting portion of the system is constructed of various zirconium alloys called getters. These alloys adsorb tritium in any of its forms at one temperature and at a higher temperature release it as a gas. The system consists of four on-line getters and heaters, two ion chamber detectors, two collection getters, and two guard getters. When the incoming gas stream is valved through the on-line getters, 99.9% of it is adsorbed and the remainder continues to the guard getter where traces of tritium not collected earlier are adsorbed. The inert gas stream then exits the system to the decay chamber. Once the on-line getter has collected tritium for a predetermined time, it is valved off and the next on-line getter is valved on. Simultaneously, the first getter is heated and a pure helium purge is employed to carry the tritium from the getter. The tritium loaded gas stream is then routed through an ion chamber which measures the tritium activity. The ion chamber effluent passes through a collection getter that readsorbs the tritium and is removable from the system once it is loaded and is then replaced with a clean getter. Prior to removal of the collection getter, the system switches to a parallel collection getter. The effluent from the collection getter passes through a guard getter to remove traces of tritium prior to exiting the system. The tritium loaded collection getter, once removed, is analyzed by liquid scintillation techniques. The entire sequence is under computer control except for the removal and analysis of the collection getter. 7 figs.

  15. Tritium emissions from a detritiation facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigo, L.; El-Behairy, O.; Boniface, H.; Hotrum, C.; McCrimmon, K.

    2010-01-01

    Tritium is produced in heavy-water reactors through neutron capture by the deuterium atom. Annual production of tritium in a CANDU reactor is typically 52-74 TBq/MW(e). Some CANDU reactor operators have implemented detritiation technology to reduce both tritium emissions and dose to workers and the public from reactor operations. However, tritium removal facilities also have the potential to emit both elemental tritium and tritiated water vapor during operation. Authorized releases to the environment, in Canada, are governed by Derived Release Limits (DRLs). DRLs represent an estimate of a release that could result in a dose of 1 mSv to an exposed member of the public. For the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, the DRLs for airborne elemental tritium and tritiated water emissions are ~15.6 PBq/week and ~825 TBq/week respectively. The actual tritium emissions from Darlington Tritium Removal Facility (DTRF) are below 0.1% of the DRL for elemental tritium and below 0.2% of the DRL for tritiated water vapor. As part of an ongoing effort to further reduce tritium emissions from the DTRF, we have undertaken a review and assessment of the systems design, operating performance, and tritium control methods in effect at the DTRF on tritium emissions. This paper discusses the results of this study. (author)

  16. Purification of tritium-free water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, S.D.

    1982-10-01

    Ground water which has been out of contact with the atmosphere for a long time as compared to the half life of tritium (12.43 years) does not contain any measureable amount of tritium. Such water is called tritium-free water. It may contain dissolved and suspended impurities and has to be purified before it can be used for the preparation of blanks and standards required in the routine measurement of low level tritium in water samples. The purification of tritium-free water by distillation in a closed system has been described. The quality of processed tritium-free water was precisely checked at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna and found satisfactory. (authors)

  17. Tritium breeding in fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdou, M.A.

    1982-10-01

    Key technological problems that influence tritium breeding in fusion blankets are reviewed. The breeding potential of candidate materials is evaluated and compared to the tritium breeding requirements. The sensitivity of tritium breeding to design and nuclear data parameters is reviewed. A framework for an integrated approach to improve tritium breeding prediction is discussed with emphasis on nuclear data requirements

  18. Long Term Retention of Deuterium and Tritium in Alcator C-Mod

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    FIORE, C.; LABOMBARD, B.; LIPSCHULTZ, B.; PITCHER, C.S.; SKINNER, C.H.; WAMPLER, WILLIAM R.

    1999-01-01

    We estimate the total in-vessel deuterium retention in Alcator C-Mod from a run campaign of about 1090 plasmas. The estimate is based on measurements of deuterium retained on 22 molybdenum tiles from the inner wall and divertor. The areal density of deuterium on the tiles was measured by nuclear reaction analysis. From these data, the in-vessel deuterium inventory is estimated to be about 0.1 gram, assuming the deuterium coverage is toroidally symmetric. Most of the retained deuterium is on the walls of the main plasma chamber, only about 2.5% of the deuterium is in the divertor. The D coverage is consistent with a layer saturated by implantation with ions and charge-exchange neutrals from the plasma. This contrasts with tokamaks with carbon plasma-facing components (PFC's) where long-term retention of tritium and deuterium is large and mainly in the divertor due to codeposition with carbon eroded by the plasma. The low deuterium retention in the C-Mod divertor is mainly due to the absence of carbon PFC's in C-Mod and the low erosion rate of Mo

  19. Lithium ceramics: sol-gel preparation and tritium release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renoult, O.

    1994-04-01

    Ceramics based on lithium aluminate (LiA1O 2 ), lithium zirconate (Li 2 ZrO 3 ) and lithium titanate (Li 2 TiO 3 ) are candidates as tritium breeder blanket materials for forthcoming nuclear fusion reactors. Lithium silico-aluminate Li 4+x A1 4-3x Si 2x O 8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0,25) powders were synthetized from alkoxyde-hydroxyde sol-gel route. By direct sintering at 850-1100 deg C (without prior calcination), ceramics with controlled stoichiometry and homogenous microstructure were obtained. We have also prepared, using a comparable method, Li 2 Zr 1-x Ti x O 3 (x = 0, x = 0,1 et x = 1) materials. All these ceramics, with different microstructures and compositions, have been tested in out-of-reactor experiments. Concerning lithium aluminate microporous ceramics, the silicon substitution leads to a significant improvement of the tritrium release. Classical models taking into account independent surface mechanisms are not able to describe correctly the observed tritium release kinetics. We show, using a simple model, that the release kinetics is in fact limited by an intergranular diffusion followed by a desorption. The delay in tritium release, which occurs when the ceramic compacity increases, is explained in terms of an enhancement of the ionic T + diffusion path length. The energy required for desorption includes a leading term independent of hydrogen contained in the sweep gas. This term is attributed to the limiting recombination step of T + in molecular species HTO. For similar microstructures, the facility of tritium release for the different studied materials is explained by three properties: the crystal structure of the ceramic, the acidity of oxides and finally the presence of electronic non-stoichiometric defects. (author). 89 refs., 50 figs., 2 tabs., 1 annexe

  20. Development and Verification of Behavior of Tritium Analytic Code (BOTANIC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Min Young; Kim, Eung Soo

    2014-01-01

    VHTR, one of the Generation IV reactor concepts, has a relatively high operation temperature and is usually suggested as a heat source for many industrial processes, including hydrogen production process. Thus, it is vital to trace tritium behavior in the VHTR system and the potential permeation rate to the industrial process. In other words, tritium is a crucial issue in terms of safety in the fission reactor system. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the behavior of tritium and the development of the tool to enable this is vital.. In this study, a Behavior of Tritium Analytic Code (BOTANIC) an analytic tool which is capable of analyzing tritium behavior is developed using a chemical process code called gPROMS. BOTANIC was then further verified using the analytic solutions and benchmark codes such as Tritium Permeation Analysis Code (TPAC) and COMSOL. In this study, the Behavior of Tritium Analytic Code, BOTANIC, has been developed using a chemical process code called gPROMS. The code has several distinctive features including non-diluted assumption, flexible applications and adoption of distributed permeation model. Due to these features, BOTANIC has the capability to analyze a wide range of tritium level systems and has a higher accuracy as it has the capacity to solve distributed models. BOTANIC was successfully developed and verified using analytical solution and the benchmark code calculation result. The results showed very good agreement with the analytical solutions and the calculation results of TPAC and COMSOL. Future work will be focused on the total system verification

  1. Tritium. Today's and tomorrow's developments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gazal, S.; Amiard, J.C.; Caussade, Bernard; Chenal, Christian; Hubert, Francoise; Sene, Monique

    2010-01-01

    Radioactive hydrogen isotope, tritium is one of the radionuclides which is the most released in the environment during the normal operation of nuclear facilities. The increase of nuclear activities and the development of future generations of reactors, like the EPR and ITER, would lead to a significant increase of tritium effluents in the atmosphere and in the natural waters, thus raising many worries and questions. Aware about the importance of this question, the national association of local information commissions (ANCLI) wished to make a status of the existing knowledge concerning tritium and organized in 2008 a colloquium at Orsay (France) with an inquiring approach. The scientific committee of the ANCLI, renowned for its expertise skills, mobilized several nuclear specialists to carry out this thought. This book represents a comprehensive synthesis of today's knowledge about tritium, about its management and about its impact on the environment and on human health. Based on recent scientific data and on precise examples, it treats of the overall questions raised by this radionuclide: 1 - tritium properties and different sources (natural and anthropic), 2 - the problem of tritiated wastes management; 3 - the bio-availability and bio-kinetics of the different tritium species; 4 - the tritium labelling of environments; 5 - tritium measurement and modeling of its environmental circulation; 6 - tritium radio-toxicity and its biological and health impacts; 7 - the different French and/or international regulations concerning tritium. (J.S.)

  2. Experimental determination of reaction rates of water. Hydrogen exchange of tritium with hydrophobic catalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bixel, J.C.; Hartzell, B.W.; Park, W.K.

    1976-01-01

    This study was undertaken to obtain data needed for further development of a process for the enrichment and removal of tritium from the water associated with light-water reactors, fuel-reprocessing plants, and tritium-handling laboratories. The approach is based on the use of antiwetting, hydrophobic catalysts which permit the chemical exchange reactions between liquid water and gaseous hydrogen in direct contact, thus eliminating problems of catalyst deactivation and the complexity of reactor design normally associated with current catalytic-detritiation techniques involving gas-phase catalysis. An apparatus and procedure were developed for measuring reaction rates of water-hydrogen chemical exchange with hydrophobic catalysts. Preliminary economic evaluations of the process were made as it might apply to the AGNS fuel reprocessing plant

  3. Tritium containing polymers having a polymer backbone substantially void of tritium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, G.A.; Nelson, D.A.; Molton, P.M.

    1992-03-31

    A radioluminescent light source comprises a solid mixture of a phosphorescent substance and a tritiated polymer. The solid mixture forms a solid mass having length, width, and thickness dimensions, and is capable of self-support. In one aspect of the invention, the phosphorescent substance comprises solid phosphor particles supported or surrounded within a solid matrix by a tritium containing polymer. The tritium containing polymer comprises a polymer backbone which is essentially void of tritium. 2 figs.

  4. Tritium in metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schober, T.

    1990-01-01

    In this Chapter a review is given of some of the important features of metal tritides as opposed to hydrides and deuterides. After an introduction to the topics of tritium and tritium in metals information will be presented on a variety of metal-tritium systems. Of main interest here are the differences from the classic hydrogen behavior; the so called isotope effect. A second important topic is that of aging effects produced by the accumulation of 3 He in the samples. (orig.)

  5. Overview of tritium fast-fission yields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanner, J.E.

    1981-03-01

    Tritium production rates are very important to the development of fast reactors because tritium may be produced at a greater rate in fast reactors than in light water reactors. This report focuses on tritium production and does not evaluate the transport and eventual release of the tritium in a fast reactor system. However, if an order-of-magnitude increase in fast fission yields for tritium is confirmed, fission will become the dominant production source of tritium in fast reactors

  6. Tritium in rad waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gandhi, P.M.; Ali, S.S.; Mathur, R.K.; Rastogi, R.C.

    1990-01-01

    Radioactive waste arising from PHWR's are invariably contaminated with tritium activity. Their disposal is crucial as it governs the manner and extent of radioactive contamination of human environment. The technique of tritium measurement and its application plays an important role in assessing the safety of the disposal system. Thus, typical applications involving tritium measurements include the evaluation of a site for solid waste burial facility and evaluation of a water body for liquid waste dispersal. Tritium measurement is also required in assessing safe air route dispersal of tritium. (author)

  7. Tritium processing in JT-60U

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miya, Naoyuki; Masaki, Kei

    1997-01-01

    Tritium retention analysis and tritium concentration measurement have been made during the large Tokamak JT-60U deuterium operations. This work has been carried out to evaluate the tritium retention for graphite tiles inside the vacuum vessel and tritium release characteristics in the tritium cleanup operations. JT-60U has carried out D-D experiments since July 1991. In the deuterium operations during the first two years, about 1.7 x 10 19 D-D fusion neutrons were produced by D (d, p) T reactions in plasma, which are expected to produce ∼31 GBq of tritium. The tritium produced is evacuated by a pumping system. A part of tritium is, however, trapped in the graphite tiles. Several sample tiles were removed from the vessel and the retained tritium Distribution in the tiles was measured using a liquid scintillator. The results of poloidal distribution showed that the tritium concentration in the divertor tiles was higher than that in the first wall tiles and it peaked in the tiles between two strike points of divertor magnetic lines. Tritium concentration in the exhaust gas from the vessel have also been measured with an ion chamber during the tritium cleanup operations with hydrogen divertor discharges and He-GDC. Total of recovered tritium during the cleanup operations was ∼ 7% of that generated. The results of these measurements showed that the tritium of 16-23 GBq still remained in the graphite tiles, which corresponded to about 50-70% of the tritium generated in plasma. The vessel is ventilated during the in-vessel maintenance works, then the atmosphere is always kept lower than the legal concentration guide level of 0.7 Bq/cm 3 for radiation work permit requirements. (author)

  8. Tritium waste package

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossmassler, Rich; Ciebiera, Lloyd; Tulipano, Francis J.; Vinson, Sylvester; Walters, R. Thomas

    1995-01-01

    A containment and waste package system for processing and shipping tritium xide waste received from a process gas includes an outer drum and an inner drum containing a disposable molecular sieve bed (DMSB) seated within outer drum. The DMSB includes an inlet diffuser assembly, an outlet diffuser assembly, and a hydrogen catalytic recombiner. The DMSB absorbs tritium oxide from the process gas and converts it to a solid form so that the tritium is contained during shipment to a disposal site. The DMSB is filled with type 4A molecular sieve pellets capable of adsorbing up to 1000 curies of tritium. The recombiner contains a sufficient amount of catalyst to cause any hydrogen add oxygen present in the process gas to recombine to form water vapor, which is then adsorbed onto the DMSB.

  9. The Chalk River Tritium Extraction Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtslander, W.J.; Harrison, T.E.; Spagnolo, D.A.

    1990-01-01

    The Chalk River Tritium Extraction Plant for removal of tritium from heavy water is described. Tritium is present in the heavy water from research reactors in the form of DTO at a concentration in the range of 1-35 Ci/kg. It is removed by a combination of catalytic exchange to transfer the tritium from DTO to DT, followed by cryogenic distillation to separate and concentrate the tritium to T 2 . The tritium product is reacted with titanium and packaged for transportation and storage as titanium tritide. The plant processes heavy water at a rate of 25 kg/h and removes 80% of the tritium and 90% of the protium per pass. Catalytic exchange is carried out in the liquid phase using a proprietary wetproofed catalyst. The plant serves two roles in the Canadian fusion program: it produces pure tritium for use in fusion research and development, and it demonstrates on an industrial scale many of the tritium technologies that are common to the tritium systems in fusion reactors (author)

  10. The Chalk River Tritium Extraction Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holtslander, W J; Harrison, T E; Spagnolo, D A

    1990-07-01

    The Chalk River Tritium Extraction Plant for removal of tritium from heavy water is described. Tritium is present in the heavy water from research reactors in the form of DTO at a concentration in the range of 1-35 Ci/kg. It is removed by a combination of catalytic exchange to transfer the tritium from DTO to DT, followed by cryogenic distillation to separate and concentrate the tritium to T{sub 2}. The tritium product is reacted with titanium and packaged for transportation and storage as titanium tritide. The plant processes heavy water at a rate of 25 kg/h and removes 80% of the tritium and 90% of the protium per pass. Catalytic exchange is carried out in the liquid phase using a proprietary wetproofed catalyst. The plant serves two roles in the Canadian fusion program: it produces pure tritium for use in fusion research and development, and it demonstrates on an industrial scale many of the tritium technologies that are common to the tritium systems in fusion reactors (author)

  11. Simulation study of intentional tritium release experiments in the caisson assembly for tritium safety at the TPL/JAERI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwai, Y.; Hayashi, T.; Kobayashi, K.; Nishi, M.

    2001-01-01

    At the Tritium Process Laboratory (TPL) in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), Caisson assembly for tritium safety study (CATS) with 12 m 3 of large airtight vessel (Caisson) was fabricated for confirmation and enhancement of fusion reactor safety to estimate the tritium behavior in the case, where the tritium leak accident should happen. One of the principal objectives of the present studies is the establishment of simulation method to predict the tritium behavior after the tritium leak accident should happen in a ventilated room. As for the understanding of initial tritium behavior until the tritium concentration become steady, the precise estimation of local flow rate in a room and time-dependent release behavior from the leak point are essential to predict the tritium behavior by simulation code. The three-dimensional eddy flow model considering, tritium-related phenomena was adopted to estimate the local flow rate in the 50 m 3 /h ventilated Caisson. The time-dependent tritium release behavior from the sample container was calculated by residence time distribution function. The calculated tritium concentrations were in good agreement with the experimental observations. The primary removal tritium behavior was also investigated by another code. Tritium gas concentrations decreased logarithmically to the time by ventilation. These observations were understandable by the reason that the flow in the ventilated Caisson was regarded as the perfectly mixing flow. The concentrations of tritiated water measured, and indications of tritium concentration by tritium monitors became gradually flat. This phenomena called 'tritium soaking effect' was found to be reasonably explained by considering the contribution of the exhaustion velocity by ventilation system, and the adsorption and desorption reaction rate of tritiated water on the wall material which is SUS 304. The calculated tritium concentrations were in good agreement with the experimental observations

  12. Tritium metabolism in cow's milk after administration of tritiated water and of organically bound tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoek, J. van den

    1982-01-01

    Tritium was administered as THO and as organically bound tritium (OBT) to lactating cows. Urine and milk samples were collected and analyzed for tritium content. Plateau levels in milk water and in milk fat, lactose and casein were reached in about 20 days after feeding either THO or OBT. Comparison of the specific activity (pCi 3 H/g H) of the various milk constituents with the specific activity of the body water showed that, after administration of THO, the highest tritium incorporation occurred in lactose (0.58), followed by milk fat (0.36) and casein (0.27). Tritium incorporation in milk dry matter (0.45) is considerably higher than in most tissue components of several mammalian species after continuous ingestion of THO as reported in the literature. After feeding OBT, the highest tritium incorporation occurred in milk fat and to a lesser extent in casein. Tritium levels in lactose were surprisingly low and the reason for this is not clear. They were similar to those in milk water. Tritium levels in milk and urine water showed systematic differences during administration of OBT and after this was stopped. There was more tritium in milk water until the last day of OBT feeding and this situation was reversed after this. (author)

  13. Tritium metabolism in cow's milk after administration of tritiated water and of organically bound tritium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    van den Hoek, J [Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen (Netherlands). Lab. voor Fysiologie der Dieren; Gerber, G; Kirchmann, R [Centre d' Etude de l' Energie Nucleaire, Mol (Belgium)

    1982-01-01

    Tritium was administered as THO and as organically bound tritium (OBT) to lactating cows. Urine and milk samples were collected and analyzed for tritium content. Plateau levels in milk water and in milk fat, lactose and casein were reached in about 20 days after feeding either THO or OBT. Comparison of the specific activity (pCi/sup 3/H/g H) of the various milk constituents with the specific activity of the body water showed that, after administration of THO, the highest tritium incorporation occurred in lactose (0.58), followed by milk fat (0.36) and casein (0.27). Tritium incorporation in milk dry matter (0.45) is considerably higher than in most tissue components of several mammalian species after continuous ingestion of THO as reported in the literature. After feeding OBT, the highest tritium incorporation occurred in milk fat and to a lesser extent in casein. Tritium levels in lactose were surprisingly low and the reason for this is not clear. They were similar to those in milk water. Tritium levels in milk and urine water showed systematic differences during administration of OBT and after this was stopped. There was more tritium in milk water until the last day of OBT feeding and this situation was reversed after this.

  14. Tritium loss in molten flibe systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Longhurst, G.R.; Anderl, R.A. [Idaho National Eng. and Environ. Lab., Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Scott Willms, R. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

    2000-04-01

    An emerging issue relative to beryllium technology in fusion involves tritium interactions with molten beryllium-bearing salts. Innovative designs for fusion reactors, both magnetic and inertially confined, feature the molten salt mixture 2LiF.BeF{sub 2}, commonly called Flibe, as a tritium breeder and coolant. Tritium is bred in the Flibe as neutrons from the plasma are absorbed by Li atoms, which then transmute to tritium and helium. Transmutation of tritium from Be also occurs. Among the issues to be resolved for such coolant systems is the potential loss of tritium from the Flibe coolant to the walls of the system, particularly through heat exchanger tubes, and from there into secondary coolants or working fluids and the environment. Effectively removing tritium from Flibe in clean-up units is also important. In quiescent or low Reynolds number flow, tritium movement through Flibe is governed by diffusion. For Flibe in turbulent flow, as in heat exchanger tubes, transport is by turbulent mixing, and the same flow conditions and structural design features that maximize heat transfer to the heat exchanger walls will enhance the transport of tritium to those same surfaces. Analyses have been performed to estimate the fractional loss of tritium through heat exchanger tubes and release rates from Flibe droplets in vacuum disengagers in molten Flibe systems. The calculations suggest unacceptably large losses of tritium through heat exchanger tubes. The gravity of the implications of these estimates calls for experimental verification to determine if tritium losses through molten Flibe heat exchangers or other Flibe systems can really be so high and whether vacuum disengagers will really work. There is also a need for better information on evolution of tritium from Flibe droplets in a vacuum. Several experiments are presently being planned to address these issues and are discussed. These include experiments to induce tritium in Flibe using spontaneous fission neutrons

  15. Tritium resources available for fusion reactors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovari, M.; Coleman, M.; Cristescu, I.; Smith, R.

    2018-02-01

    The tritium required for ITER will be supplied from the CANDU production in Ontario, but while Ontario may be able to supply 8 kg for a DEMO fusion reactor in the mid-2050s, it will not be able to provide 10 kg at any realistic starting time. The tritium required to start DEMO will depend on advances in plasma fuelling efficiency, burnup fraction, and tritium processing technology. It is in theory possible to start up a fusion reactor with little or no tritium, but at an estimated cost of 2 billion per kilogram of tritium saved, it is not economically sensible. Some heavy water reactor tritium production scenarios with varying degrees of optimism are presented, with the assumption that only Canada, the Republic of Korea, and Romania make tritium available to the fusion community. Results for the tritium available for DEMO in 2055 range from zero to 30 kg. CANDU and similar heavy water reactors could in theory generate additional tritium in a number of ways: (a) adjuster rods containing lithium could be used, giving 0.13 kg per year per reactor; (b) a fuel bundle with a burnable absorber has been designed for CANDU reactors, which might be adapted for tritium production; (c) tritium production could be increased by 0.05 kg per year per reactor by doping the moderator with lithium-6. If a fusion reactor is started up around 2055, governments in Canada, Argentina, China, India, South Korea and Romania will have the opportunity in the years leading up to that to take appropriate steps: (a) build, refurbish or upgrade tritium extraction facilities; (b) extend the lives of heavy water reactors, or build new ones; (c) reduce tritium sales; (d) boost tritium production in the remaining heavy water reactors. All of the alternative production methods considered have serious economic and regulatory drawbacks, and the risk of diversion of tritium or lithium-6 would also be a major concern. There are likely to be serious problems with supplying tritium for future

  16. Tritium loss in molten flibe systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longhurst, G.R.; Anderl, R.A.; Scott Willms, R.

    2000-01-01

    An emerging issue relative to beryllium technology in fusion involves tritium interactions with molten beryllium-bearing salts. Innovative designs for fusion reactors, both magnetic and inertially confined, feature the molten salt mixture 2LiF.BeF 2 , commonly called Flibe, as a tritium breeder and coolant. Tritium is bred in the Flibe as neutrons from the plasma are absorbed by Li atoms, which then transmute to tritium and helium. Transmutation of tritium from Be also occurs. Among the issues to be resolved for such coolant systems is the potential loss of tritium from the Flibe coolant to the walls of the system, particularly through heat exchanger tubes, and from there into secondary coolants or working fluids and the environment. Effectively removing tritium from Flibe in clean-up units is also important. In quiescent or low Reynolds number flow, tritium movement through Flibe is governed by diffusion. For Flibe in turbulent flow, as in heat exchanger tubes, transport is by turbulent mixing, and the same flow conditions and structural design features that maximize heat transfer to the heat exchanger walls will enhance the transport of tritium to those same surfaces. Analyses have been performed to estimate the fractional loss of tritium through heat exchanger tubes and release rates from Flibe droplets in vacuum disengagers in molten Flibe systems. The calculations suggest unacceptably large losses of tritium through heat exchanger tubes. The gravity of the implications of these estimates calls for experimental verification to determine if tritium losses through molten Flibe heat exchangers or other Flibe systems can really be so high and whether vacuum disengagers will really work. There is also a need for better information on evolution of tritium from Flibe droplets in a vacuum. Several experiments are presently being planned to address these issues and are discussed. These include experiments to induce tritium in Flibe using spontaneous fission neutrons

  17. Use of tritium and sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noguchi, Hiroshi

    1997-01-01

    There are many kinds of tritium, sources in the environment. The maximum inventory of them is the nuclear tests, although the atmospheric nuclear test has not been carried out since 1981. So that the inventory originated from them will decrease. By the latest data in 1989, the total amount of released tritium was about 24 PBq/yr by the use of atomic energy in the world. The maximum source was the heavy water moderated reactors, for example, CANDU reactor. In the future, large amount of tritium inventory may be the fusion reactor. The test of JET (Joint European Torus) released about 600 GBq of tritium until March in 1992. 80-90% of them were tritium water (HTO). The amount of tritium released from industries and medicine are limited. Although ITER has a large amount of tritium inventory, the amount of release is seemed not to be larger than other nuclear power facility. (S.Y.)

  18. Tritium dynamics in soils and plants at a tritium processing facility in Canada

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mihok, S.; St-Amanat, N.; Kwamena, N.O. [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (Canada); Clark, I.; Wilk, M.; Lapp, A. [University of Ottawa (Canada)

    2014-07-01

    The dynamics of tritium released as tritiated water (HTO) have been studied extensively with results incorporated into environmental models such as CSA N288.1 used for regulatory purposes in Canada. The dispersion of tritiated gas (HT) and rates of oxidation to HTO have been studied under controlled conditions, but there are few studies under natural conditions. HT is a major component of the tritium released from a gaseous tritium light manufacturing facility in Canada (CNSC INFO-0798). To support the improvement of models, a garden was set up in one summer near this facility in a spot with tritium in air averaging ∼ 5 Bq/m{sup 3} HTO (passive diffusion monitors). Atmospheric stack releases (575 GBq/week) were recorded weekly. HT releases occur mainly during working hours with an HT:HTO ratio of 2.6 as measured at the stack. Soils and plants (leaves/stems and roots/tubers) were sampled for HTO and organically-bound tritium (OBT) weekly. Active day-night monitoring of air was conducted to interpret tritium dynamics relative to weather and solar radiation. The experimental design included a plot of natural grass/soil, contrasted with grass (sod) and Swiss chard, pole beans and potatoes grown in barrels under different irrigation regimes (in local topsoil at 29 Bq/L HTO, 105 Bq/L OBT). All treatments were exposed to rain (80 Bq/L) and atmospheric releases of tritium (weekdays), and reflux of tritium from soils (initial conditions of 284 Bq/L HTO, 3,644 Bq/L OBT) from 20 years of operations. Three irrigation regimes were used for barrel plants to mimic home garden management: rain only, low tritium tap water (5 Bq/L), and high tritium well water (mean 10,013 Bq/L). This design provided a range of plants and starting conditions with contrasts in initial HTO/OBT activity in soils, and major tritium inputs from air versus water. Controls were two home gardens far from any tritium sources. Active air monitoring indicated that the plume was only occasionally present for

  19. Rapid heating tensile tests of high-energy-rate-forged 316L stainless steel containing internal helium from radioactive decay of absorbed tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mosley, W.C.

    1990-01-01

    316L stainless steel is a candidate material for construction of equipment that will be exposed to tritium. This austenitic stainless steel is frequently used in the high-energy-rate-forged (HERF) metallurgical condition to take advantage of increased strength produced by cold work introduced by this process. Proper design of tritium-handling equipment will require an understanding of how helium-3, the product of radioactive decay of tritium, affects mechanical properties. This report describes results of elevated-temperature tensile testing of HERF 316L stainless steel specimens containing helium concentrations of 171 (calculated) atomic parts per million (appm). Results are compared with those reported previously for specimens containing 0 and 94 (measured) appm helium

  20. Tritium transport studies with use of the ISEP NPA during tritium trace experimental campaign on JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mironov, M I; Afanasyev, V I; Murari, A; Santala, M; Beaumont, P

    2010-01-01

    The neutral particle analyzer (NPA) known as ISEP (Ion SEParator) was applied to measure the tritium neutral flux during the tritium trace experiment (TTE) on JET. The energy dependence (in the 5-28 keV energy range) of the tritium neutral flux rise time after a short ∼100 ms tritium gas puff into deuterium plasmas has been observed for the first time. The dependence has been interpreted as being due to the penetration of the tritium ions from the plasma boundary into the core and has been used for the calculation of the tritium diffusion coefficient and convective velocity values.

  1. Plutonium stabilization and handling quality assurance program plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, E.V.

    1998-01-01

    This Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) identifies project quality assurance requirements for all contractors involved in the planning and execution of Hanford Site activities for design, procurement, construction, testing and inspection for Project W-460, Plutonium Stabilization and Handling. The project encompasses procurement and installation of a Stabilization and Packaging System (SPS) to oxidize and package for long term storage remaining plutonium-bearing special nuclear materials currently in inventory at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP), and modification of vault equipment to allow storage of resulting packages of stabilized SNM

  2. Tritium and ignition target management at the National Ignition Facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draggoo, Vaughn

    2013-06-01

    Isotopic mixtures of hydrogen constitute the basic fuel for fusion targets of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). A typical NIF fusion target shot requires approximately 0.5 mmoles of hydrogen gas and as much as 750 GBq (20 Ci) of 3H. Isotopic mix ratios are specified according to the experimental shot/test plan and the associated test objectives. The hydrogen isotopic concentrations, absolute amounts, gas purity, configuration of the target, and the physical configuration of the NIF facility are all parameters and conditions that must be managed to ensure the quality and safety of operations. An essential and key step in the preparation of an ignition target is the formation of a ~60 μm thick hydrogen "ice" layer on the inner surface of the target capsule. The Cryogenic Target Positioning System (Cryo-Tarpos) provides gas handling, cyro-cooling, x-ray imaging systems, and related instrumentation to control the volumes and temperatures of the multiphase (solid, liquid, and gas) hydrogen as the gas is condensed to liquid, admitted to the capsule, and frozen as a single spherical crystal of hydrogen in the capsule. The hydrogen fuel gas is prepared in discrete 1.7 cc aliquots in the LLNL Tritium Facility for each ignition shot. Post-shot hydrogen gas is recovered in the NIF Tritium Processing System (TPS). Gas handling systems, instrumentation and analytic equipment, material accounting information systems, and the shot planning systems must work together to ensure that operational and safety requirements are met.

  3. A study of the tritium behavior in coolant and moderator system of heavy water reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, S. P.; Song, S. S.; Chae, K. S. and others [Chosun Univ., Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    1993-12-15

    The objectives of this report is to present a regulatory policy on the environmental impact and personnel exposure by understanding the generation, accumulation, environmental release and management of tritium in heavy water reactors. By estimating the tritium concentration at Wolsong nuclear plant site by estimating and forecasting the generation and accumulation of tritium in coolant and moderator systems at Wolsong unit 1, we will study the management and release of tritium at Wolsong units 3 and 4 which are ready for construction. The major activities of this study are as follows : tritium generation and accumulation in heavy water reactor, a quantitative assessment of the accumulation and release of tritium at Wolsong nuclear plant site, heavy water management at Wolsong nuclear plants. The tritium concentration and accumulation trends in the systems at Wolsong unit 1 was estimated. A quantitative assessment of the tritium accumulation and release for Wolsong 2, 3 and 4 based on data from Wolsong 1 was performed. The tritium removal schemes and its long-term management plan were made.

  4. Overview of the tritium system of Ignitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizzello, C.; Tosti, S.

    2008-01-01

    Among the recent design activities of the Ignitor program, the analysis of the tritium system has been carried out with the aim to describe the main equipments and the operations needed for supplying the deuterium-tritium mixtures and recovering the plasma exhaust. In fact, the tritium system of Ignitor provides for injecting deuterium-tritium mixtures into the vacuum chamber in order to sustain the fusion reaction: furthermore, it generally manages and controls the tritium and the tritiated materials of the machine fuel cycle. Main functions consist of tritium storage and delivery, tritium injection, tritium recovery from plasma exhaust, treatment of the tritiated wastes, detritiation of the contaminated atmospheres, tritium analysis and accountability. In this work an analysis of the designed tritium system of Ignitor is summarized

  5. Tritium in the environment. Knowledge synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    This report first presents the nuclear and physical-chemical properties of tritium and addresses the notions of bioaccumulation, bio-magnification and remanence. It describes and comments the natural and anthropic origins of tritium (natural production, quantities released in the environment in France by nuclear tests, nuclear plants, nuclear fuel processing plants, research centres). It describes how tritium is measured as a free element (sampling, liquid scintillation, proportional counting, enrichment method) or linked to organic matter (combustion, oxidation, helium-3-based measurement). It discusses tritium concentrations noticed in different parts of the environment (soils, continental waters, sea). It describes how tritium is transferred to ecosystems (transfer of atmospheric tritium to ground ecosystems, and to soft water ecosystems). It discusses existing models which describe the behaviour of tritium in ecosystems. It finally describes and comments toxic effects of tritium on living ground and aquatic organisms

  6. Imaging of tritium implanted into graphite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malinowski, M.E.; Causey, R.A.

    1988-01-01

    The extensive use of graphite in plasma-facing surfaces of tokamaks such as the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, which has planned tritium discharges, makes two-dimensional tritium detection techniques important in helping to determine torus tritium inventories. We have performed experiments in which highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) samples were first tritium implanted with fluences of ∼10 16 T/cm 2 at energies approx. 0 C resulted in no discernible motion of tritium along the basal plane, but did show that significant desorption of the implanted tritium occurred. The current results indicate that tritium in quantities of 10 12 T/cm 2 in tritiated components could be readily detected by imaging at lower magnifications

  7. Tritium containment of controlled thermonuclear fusion reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Yoshihisa; Tsukumo, Kiyohiko; Suzuki, Tatsushi

    1979-01-01

    It is well known that tritium is used as the fuel for nuclear fusion reactors. The neutrons produced by the nuclear fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium react with lithium in blankets, and tritium is produced. The blankets reproduce the tritium consumed in the D-T reaction. Tritium circulates through the main cooling system and the fuel supply and evacuation system, and is accumulated. Tritium is a radioactive substance emitting β-ray with 12.6 year half-life, and harmful to human bodies. It is an isotope of hydrogen, and apt to diffuse and leak. Especially at high temperature, it permeates through materials, therefore it is important to evaluate the release of tritium into environment, to treat leaked tritium to reduce its release, and to select the method of containing tritium. The permeability of tritium and its solubility in structural materials are discussed. The typical blanket-cooling systems of nuclear fusion reactors are shown, and the tungsten coating of steam generator tubes and tritium recovery system are adopted for reducing tritium leak. In case of the Tokamak type reactor of JAERI, the tritium recovery system is installed, in which the tritium gas produced in blankets is converted to tritium steam with a Pd-Pt catalytic oxidation tower, and it is dehydrated and eliminated with a molecular sieve tower, then purified and recovered. (Kako, I.)

  8. Tritium problems in fusion reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hickman, R.G.

    1975-01-01

    A brief introduction is given to the role tritium will play in the development of fusion power. The biological and worldwide environmental behavior of tritium is reviewed. The tritium problems expected in fusion power reactors are outlined. A few thoughts on tritium permeation and recent results for tritium cleanup and CT 4 accumulation are presented. Problems involving the recovery of tritium from the breeding blanket in fusion power reactors are also considered, including the possible effect of impurities in lithium blankets and the use of lithium as a regenerable getter pump. (auth)

  9. Development on the cryogenic hydrogen isotopes distillation process technology for tritium removal (Final report)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sung, Ki Woung; Kim, Yong Ik; Na, Jeong Won; Ku, Jae Hyu; Kim, Kwang Rak; Jeong, Yong Won; Lee, Han Soo; Cho, Young Hyun; Ahn, Do Hee; Baek, Seung Woo; Kang, Hee Seok; Kim, You Sun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1995-12-01

    While tritium exposure to the site-workers in Wolsung NPP is up to about 40% of the total personnel exposure, Ministry of Science and Technology has asked tritium removal facility for requirement of post heavy-water reactor construction. For the purpose of essential removal of tritium from the Wolsung heavy-water reactor system, a preliminary study on the cryogenic Ar-N{sub 2} and H{sub 2}-D{sub 2} distillation process for development of liquid-phase catalytic exchange cryogenic hydrogen distillation process technology. The Ar-N{sub 2} distillation column showed good performance with approximately 97% of final Ar concentration, and a computer simulation code was modified using these data. A simulation code developed for cryogenic hydrogen isotopes (H{sub 2}, HD, D{sub 2}, HT, DT, T{sub 2}) distillation column showed good performance after comparison with the result of a JAERI code, and a H{sub 2}-D{sub 2} distillation column was made. Gas chromatography for hydrogen isotopes analysis was established using a vacuum sampling loop, and a schematic diagram of H{sub 2}-D{sub 2} distillation process was suggested. A feasibility on modification of H{sub 2}-D{sub 2} distillation process control system using Laser Raman Spectroscopy was studied, and the consideration points for tritium storage system for Wolsung tritium removal facility was suggested. 31 tabs., 79 figs., 68 refs. (Author).

  10. Tritium Mitigation/Control for Advanced Reactor System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Xiaodong; Christensen, Richard; Saving, John P

    2018-03-31

    A tritium removal facility, which is similar to the design used for tritium recovery in fusion reactors, is proposed in this study for fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs) to result in a two-loop FHR design with the elimination of an intermediate loop. Using this approach, an economic benefit can potentially be obtained by removing the intermediate loop, while the safety concern of tritium release can be mitigated. In addition, an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) that can yield a similar tritium permeation rate to the production rate of 1.9 Ci/day in a 1,000 MWe PWR needs to be designed to prevent the residual tritium that is not captured in the tritium removal system from escaping into the power cycle and ultimately the environment. The main focus of this study is to aid the mitigation of tritium permeation issue from the FHR primary side to significantly reduce the concentration of tritium in the secondary side and the process heat application side (if applicable). The goal of the research is to propose a baseline FHR system without the intermediate loop. The specific objectives to accomplish the goals are: 1. To estimate tritium permeation behavior in FHRs; 2. To design a tritium removal system for FHRs; 3. To meet the same tritium permeation level in FHRs as the tritium production rate of 1.9 Ci/day in 1,000 MWe PWRs; 4. To demonstrate economic benefits of the proposed FHR system via comparing with the three-loop FHR system. The objectives were accomplished by designing tritium removal facilities, developing a tritium analysis code, and conducting an economic analysis. In the fusion reactor community, tritium extraction has been widely investigated and researched. Borrowing the experiences from the fusion reactor community, a tritium control and mitigation system was proposed. Based on mass transport theories, a tritium analysis code was developed, and the tritium behaviors were analyzed using the developed code. Tritium removal facilities

  11. The effective cost of tritium for tokamak fusion power reactors with reduced tritium production systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilligan, J.G.; Evans, K.

    1983-01-01

    If sufficient tritium cannot be produced and processed in tokamak blankets then at least two alternatives are possible. Tritium can be purchased; or reactors with reduced tritium (RT) content in the plasma can be designed. The latter choice may require development of magnet technology etc., but the authors show that the impact on the cost-of-electricity may be mild. Cost tradeoffs are compared to the market value of tritium. Adequate tritium production in fusion blankets is preferred, but the authors show there is some flexibility in the deployment of fusion if this is not possible

  12. Intervention and decontamination of hardware contaminated by tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cerre, Pierre; Mestre, Emile

    1964-10-01

    This report first describes the intervention process for teams intervening, either in case of accident or to modify or repair installations in which tritium is handled, i.e. in both cases in a contaminated atmosphere. Three main aspects are addressed: how to prepare and insulate the work place from the rest of the installation, how to protect the intervening personnel, and how to perform decontamination. The authors then present the various available decontamination techniques: decontamination bath at different temperatures and use of different chemical solutions at different temperatures, the degassing technique (temperature increase and vacuum, temperature hold during 30 to 45 minutes, return to atmospheric pressure), and mercury-based decontamination

  13. Design of a Cryogenic Distillation Column for JET Water Detritiation System for Tritium Recovery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parracho, A.I.; Camp, P.; Dalgliesh, P.; Hollingsworth, A.; Lefebvre, X.; Lesnoj, S.; Sacks, R.; Shaw, R.; Smith, R.; Wakeling, B.

    2015-01-01

    A Water Detritiation System (WDS) is currently being designed and manufactured to be installed in the Active Gas Handling System (AGHS) of JET, currently the largest magnetic fusion experiment in the world. JET has been designed and built to study fusion operating conditions with the plasma fuelling done by means of a deuterium-tritium gas mixture. AGHS is a plant designed and built to safely process gas mixtures and impurities containing tritium recovered from the JET torus exhaust gases. Tritium is removed from these gas mixtures and recycled. Tritium depleted gases are sent to Exhaust Detritiation System (EDS) for final tritium removal prior to discharge into the environment. In EDS, tritium and tritiated species are catalytically oxidized into water, this tritiated water is then adsorbed onto molecular sieve beds (MSB). After saturation the MSBs are heated and the water is desorbed and collected for tritium recovery. The WDS facility is designed to recover tritium from water with an average activity of 1.9 GBq/l, and is able to process water with activities of 85 GBq/l and higher. Tritiated water is filtered and supplied to the electrolyser where the water is converted into gaseous oxygen and tritiated hydrogen. The hydrogen stream is first purified by selective diffusion through membranes of palladium alloy and then is fed to two cryogenic distillation columns (CD). These operate in parallel or in series depending on the water activity. In the CD columns, hydrogen isotopes containing tritium are recovered as the bottom product and hydrogen, the top product, is safely discarded to a stack. The CD columns are foreseen to have a throughput between 200 and 300 mole/h of hydrogen isotopes vapour and they operate at approximately ≈21.2K and 105 kPa. The design of the CD columns will be presented in this work. This work has been carried out within the framework of the Contract for the Operation of the JET Facilities and has received funding from the European Union

  14. The introduction of tritium in lactose and saccharose by isotope exchange with gaseous tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akulov, G.P.; Snetkova, E.V.; Kaminskij, Yu.L.; Kudelin, B.K.; Efimova, V.L.

    1991-01-01

    Methods for conducting reactions of catalytic protium-tritium isotopic exchange with gaseous tritium were developed in order to synthesize tritium labelled lactose and saccharose. These methods enabled to prepare these labelled disaccharides with high molar activity. The yield was equal to 50-60%, radiochemical purity ∼ 95%

  15. Doses due to tritium releases by NET - data base and relevant parameters on biological tritium behaviour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diabate, S.; Strack, S.

    1990-12-01

    This study gives an overview on the current knowledge about the behaviour of tritium in plants and in food chains in order to evaluate the ingestion pathway modelling of existing computer codes for dose estimations. The tritium uptake and retention by plants standing at the beginning of the food chains is described. The different chemical forms of tritium, which may be released into the atmosphere (HT, HTO and tritiated organics), and incorporation of tritium into organic material of plants are considered. Uptake and metabolism of tritiated compounds in animals and man are reviewed with particular respect to organically bound tritium and its significance for dose estimations. Some basic remarks on tritium toxicity are also included. Furthermore, a choice of computer codes for dose estimations due to chronic or accidental tritium releases has been compared with respect to the ingestion pathway. (orig.) [de

  16. A prototype wearable tritium monitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Surette, R. A.; Dubeau, J.

    2008-01-01

    Sudden unexpected changes in tritium-in-air concentrations in workplace air can result in significant unplanned exposures. Although fixed area monitors are used to monitor areas where there is a potential for elevated tritium in air concentrations, they do not monitor personnel air space and may require some time for acute tritium releases to be detected. There is a need for a small instrument that will quickly alert staff of changing tritium hazards. A moderately sensitive tritium instrument that workers could wear would bring attention to any rise in tritium levels that were above predetermined limits and help in assessing the potential hazard therefore minimizing absorbed dose. Hand-held instruments currently available can be used but require the assistance of a fellow worker or restrict the user to using only one hand to perform some duties. (authors)

  17. Methodology for tritium recovery as a by-product in the fluorine 18 production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flores Rea, H.

    1990-01-01

    In this paper previous studies for the recuperation of waste tritium proceeding from the process used to produce F-18 using natural and 95% enriched lithium carbonate in lithium-6 are presented; the nuclear reaction took place in the Triga Mark III Nuclear reactor of the Nuclear Centre of Mexico. Previous studies proved the importance of the quantity of remanent tritium in the solutions where F-18 was produced in oxygenated compounds of natural lithium. The recuperation methodology consisted in production of F-18 in the established manner, purification by chromatography in an alumina and ion exchange resins column and of waste solutions; these were put together and distilled at normal pressure until dry. The distilled products were concentrated using an electrochemical method, and a final treatment system of the sample based on one reported in the literature but adapted to concentrate smaller volumes (approximately 15 ml.). The samples coming from the enriched lithium carbonate contained 3 to 6 times more tritium than those of natural lithium carbonate. Approximately 30% of the initial considered quantity of lithium was recuperated. A modification to the proposed methodology will allow the recuperation of tritium in waste solutions of F-18 in a percentage higher than 80%. (Author)

  18. Tritium pellet injection sequences for TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houlberg, W.A.; Milora, S.L.; Attenberger, S.E.; Singer, C.E.; Schmidt, G.L.

    1983-01-01

    Tritium pellet injection into neutral deuterium, beam heated deuterium plasmas in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) is shown to be an attractive means of (1) minimizing tritium use per tritium discharge and over a sequence of tritium discharges; (2) greatly reducing the tritium load in the walls, limiters, getters, and cryopanels; (3) maintaining or improving instantaneous neutron production (Q); (4) reducing or eliminating deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron production in non-optimized discharges; and (5) generally adding flexibility to the experimental sequences leading to optimal Q operation. Transport analyses of both compression and full-bore TFTR plasmas are used to support the above observations and to provide the basis for a proposed eight-pellet gas gun injector for the 1986 tritium experiments

  19. Radionuclide Basics: Tritium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tritium is a hydrogen atom that has two neutrons in the nucleus and one proton. It is radioactive and behaves like other forms of hydrogen in the environment. Tritium is produced naturally in the upper atmosphere and as a byproduct of nuclear fission.

  20. Analysis of tritium behaviour and recovery from a water-cooled Pb17Li blanket

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malara, C.; Casini, G.; Viola, A.

    1995-01-01

    The question of the tritium recovery in water-cooled Pb17Li blankets has been under investigation for several years at JRC Ispra. The method which has been more extensively analysed is that of slowly circulating the breeder out from the blanket units and of extracting the tritium from it outside the plasma vacuum vessel by helium gas purging or vacuum degassing in a suited process apparatus. A computerized model of the tritium behaviour in the blanket units and in the extraction system was developed. It includes four submodels: (1) tritium permeation process from the breeder to the cooling water as a function of the local operative conditions (tritium concentration in Pb17Li, breeder temperature and flow rate); (2) tritium mass balance in each breeding unit; (3) tritium desorption from the breeder material to the gas phase of the extraction system; (4) tritium extraction efficiency as a function of the design parameters of the recovery apparatus. In the present paper, on the basis of this model, a parametric study of the tritium permeation rate in the cooling water and of the tritium inventory in the blanket is carried out. Results are reported and discussed in terms of dimensionless groups which describe the relative effects of the overall resistance on tritium transfer to the cooling water (with and without permeation barriers), circulating Pb17Li flow rate and extraction efficiency of the tritium recovery unit. The parametric study is extended to the recovery unit in the case of tritium extraction by helium purge or vacuum degassing in a droplet spray unit. (orig.)

  1. Titanium tritide radioisotope heat source development: palladium-coated titanium hydriding kinetics and tritium loading tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Blarigan, Peter; Shugard, Andrew D.; Walters, R. Tom

    2012-01-01

    We have found that a 180 nm palladium coating enables titanium to be loaded with hydrogen isotopes without the typical 400-500 C vacuum activation step. The hydriding kinetics of Pd coated Ti can be described by the Mintz-Bloch adherent film model, where the rate of hydrogen absorption is controlled by diffusion through an adherent metal-hydride layer. Hydriding rate constants of Pd coated and vacuum activated Ti were found to be very similar. In addition, deuterium/tritium loading experiments were done on stacks of Pd coated Ti foil in a representative-size radioisotope heat source vessel. The experiments demonstrated that such a vessel could be loaded completely, at temperatures below 300 C, in less than 10 hours, using existing department-of-energy tritium handling infrastructure.

  2. Conceptual design on interface between ITER and tritium extraction system of Chinese helium-cooled solid breeder test blanket module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Long; Luo Tianyong; Feng Kaiming

    2010-01-01

    Tritium extraction system is essential for CN HCSB TBM for safety and technical reasons. Based on the assessments of system functions, integration issues and safety considerations, two main modifications of the system from previous design (Feng et al., 2007 ; Chen et al., 2008 ) are adopted: a)the TES has been split to 2 parts with one in port cell and another in tritium building. Q 2 O in the purge gas is reduced to Q 2 in a hot metal bed located in port cell; Q 2 is separated from the stream by a pair of cryogenic molecular sieve beds and a Pd/Ag diffuser located in tritium building. b)isotope separation process has been excluded. TES components sizes are estimated and space allocations are estimated. Required services and where and when they are needed are preliminary defined. Fluids delivered towards ITER tritium system are analyzed.

  3. Tritium release from advanced beryllium materials after loading by tritium/hydrogen gas mixture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chakin, Vladimir, E-mail: vladimir.chakin@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Materials, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Rolli, Rolf; Moeslang, Anton; Kurinskiy, Petr; Vladimirov, Pavel [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Applied Materials, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Dorn, Christopher [Materion Beryllium & Composites, 6070 Parkland Boulevard, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124-4191 (United States); Kupriyanov, Igor [Bochvar Russian Scientific Research Institute of Inorganic Materials, Rogova str., 5, 123098 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2016-06-15

    Highlights: • A major tritium release peak for beryllium samples occurs at temperatures higher than 1250 K. • A beryllium grade with comparatively smaller grain size has a comparatively higher tritium release compared to the grade with larger grain size. • The pebbles of irregular shape with the grain size of 10–30 μm produced by the crushing method demonstrate the highest tritium release rate. - Abstract: Comparison of different beryllium samples on tritium release and retention properties after high-temperature loading by tritium/hydrogen gas mixture and following temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) tests has been performed. The I-220-H grade produced by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) having the smallest grain size, the pebbles of irregular shape with the smallest grain size (10–30 μm) produced by the crushing method (CM), and the pebbles with 1 mm diameter produced by the fluoride reduction method (FRM) having a highly developed inherent porosity show the highest release rate. Grain size and porosity are considered as key structural parameters for comparison and ranking of different beryllium materials on tritium release and retention properties.

  4. An assembly of tritium production experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, Toshihiko

    1981-01-01

    An assembly for tritium production experiment, i.e. Tritium Extraction System (TREX) constructed as a small scale test facility for tritium production, and Tritium Removal System (TRS) attached to TREX, and the preliminary results of the experiments with them are described. The radiological safety of the process and operation is also an important consideration. Lithium-aluminum alloy was selected as the most promising target material. The following matters are involved in the scope of production technology: the selection of a target material and target preparation, reactor irradiation, the construction of a facility for the extraction of tritium from the irradiated target, the establishment of the optimum conditions of extraction, the purification, collection and storage of tritium, and the inspection of the product. The tritium production experiment at JAERI is yet on the initial stage; the development is to be continued with the stepwise increase of the scale of tritium production. (J.P.N.)

  5. Tritium migration in nuclear desalination plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muralev, E.D.

    2003-01-01

    Tritium transport, as one of important items of radiation safety assessment, should be taken into consideration before construction of a Nuclear Desalination Plant (NDP). The influence of tritium internal exposition to the human body is very dangerous because of 3 H associations with water molecules. The problem of tritium in nuclear engineering is connected to its high penetration ability (through fuel element cans and other construction materials of a reactor), with the difficulty of extracting tritium from process liquids and gases. Sources of tritium generation in NDP are: nuclear fuel, boron in control rods, and deuterium in heat carrier. Tritium passes easily through the walls of a reactor vessel, intermediate heat exchangers, steam generators and other technological equipment, through the walls of heat carrier pipelines. The release of tritium and its transport could be assessed, using mathematical models, based on the assumption that steady state equilibrium has been attained between the sources of tritium, produced water and release to the environment. Analysis of the model shows the tritium concentration dependence in potable water on design features of NDP. The calculations obtained and analysis results for NDP with BN-350 reactor give good convergence. According to the available data, tritium concentration in potable water is less than the statutory maximum concentration limit. The design of a NDP requires elaboration of technical solutions, capable of minimising the release of tritium to potable water produced. (author)

  6. Metabolism of organically bound tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Travis, C.C.

    1984-01-01

    The classic methodology for estimating dose to man from environmental tritium ignores the fact that organically bound tritium in foodstuffs may be directly assimilated in the bound compartment of tissues without previous oxidation. We propose a four-compartment model consisting of a free body water compartment, two organic compartments, and a small, rapidly metabolizing compartment. The utility of this model lies in the ability to input organically bound tritium in foodstuffs directly into the organic compartments of the model. We found that organically bound tritium in foodstuffs can increase cumulative total body dose by a factor of 1.7 to 4.5 times the free body water dose alone, depending on the bound-to-loose ratio of tritium in the diet. Model predictions are compared with empirical measurements of tritium in human urine and tissue samples, and appear to be in close agreement. 10 references, 4 figures, 3 tables

  7. Effects of tritium in elastomers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zapp, P.E.

    1982-01-01

    Elastomers are used as flange gaskets in the piping system of the Savannah River Plant tritium facilities. A number of elastomers is being examined to identify those compounds more radiation-resistant than the currently specified Buna-N rubber and to study the mechanism of tritium radiation damage. Radiation resistance is evaluated by compression set tests on specimens exposed to about 1 atm tritium for several months. Initial results show that ethylene-propylene rubber and three fluoroelastomers are superior to Buna-N. Off-gassing measurements and autoradiography show that retained surface absorption of tritium varies by more than an order of magnitude among the different elastomer compounds. Therefore, tritium solubility and/or exchange may have a role in addition to that of chemical structure in the damage process. Ongoing studies of the mechanism of radiation damage include: (1) tritium absorption kinetics, (2) mass spectroscopy of radiolytic products, and (3) infrared spectroscopy

  8. A proposed model for the transfer of environmental tritium to man and tritium metabolism in model animals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Masahiro; Ishida, M.R.

    1987-01-01

    To evaluate the accumulated dose in human bodies due to the environmental tritium, it is of required to establish an adequate model for the tritium transfer from the environment to man and to obtain enough information on the metabolic behaviour of tritium in animal bodies using model animal system. In this report, first we describe about a proposed model for the transfer of environmental tritium to man and secondly mention briefly about the recent works on the tritium metabolism in newborn animals which have been treated as a model system of tritium intake through food chain. (author)

  9. Contribution to the tritium continental effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewis, R.R.; Froehlich, K.; Hebert, D.

    1987-01-01

    The results of tritium measurements of atmospheric water vapour and precipitation samples for 1982 and 1983 are presented. The data were used to establish a simple model describing the tritium continental effect taking into account re-evaporation of tritium from the continental land surfaces and man-made tritium. (author)

  10. Tritium transport analysis for CFETR WCSB blanket

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Pinghui, E-mail: phzhao@mail.ustc.edu.cn; Yang, Wanli; Li, Yuanjie; Ge, Zhihao; Nie, Xingchen; Gao, Zhongping

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • A simplified tritium transport model for CFETR WCSB blanket was developed. • Tritium transport process in CFETR WCSB blanket was analyzed. • Sensitivity analyses of tritium transport parameters were carried out. - Abstract: Water Cooled Solid Breeder (WCSB) blanket was put forward as one of the breeding blanket candidate schemes for Chinese Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). In this study, a simplified tritium transport model was developed. Based on the conceptual engineering design, neutronics and thermal-hydraulic analyses of CFETR WCSB blanket, tritium transport process was analyzed. The results show that high tritium concentration and inventory exist in primary water loop and total tritium losses exceed CFETR limits under current conditions. Conducted were sensitivity analyses of influential parameters, including tritium source, temperature, flow-rate capacity and surface condition. Tritium performance of WCSB blanket can be significantly improved under a smaller tritium impinging rate, a larger flow-rate capacity or a better surface condition. This work provides valuable reference for the enhancement of tritium transport behavior in CFETR WCSB blanket.

  11. Activities of the EMRAS Tritium/C14 Working Group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, P.A.; Balonov, M.; Venter, A.

    2005-01-01

    A new model evaluation program, Environmental Modeling for Radiation Safety (EMRAS), was initiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency in September 2003. EMRAS includes a working group (WG) on modeling tritium and C-14 transfer through the environment to biota and man. The main objective of this WG is to develop and test models of the uptake, formation and translocation of organically bound tritium (OBT) in food crops, animals and aquatic systems. To the extent possible, the WG is carrying out its work by comparing model predictions with experimental data to identify the modeling approaches and assumptions that lead to the best agreement between predictions and observations. Results for scenarios involving a chronically contaminated aquatic ecosystem and short-term exposure of soybeans are presently being analyzed. In addition, calculations for scenarios involving chronically contaminated terrestrial food chains and hypothetical short-term releases are currently underway, and a pinetree scenario is being developed. The preparation of datasets on tritium dynamics in large animals and fish is being encouraged, since these are the areas of greatest uncertainty in OBT modeling. These activities will be discussed in this paper

  12. Tritium proof-of-principle pellet injector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, P.W.

    1991-07-01

    The tritium proof-of-principle (TPOP) experiment was designed and built by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to demonstrate the formation and acceleration of the world's first tritium pellets for fueling of future fusion reactors. The experiment was first used to produce hydrogen and deuterium pellets at ORNL. It was then moved to the Tritium Systems Test Assembly at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the production of tritium pellets. The injector used in situ condensation to produce cylindrical pellets in a 1-m-long, 4-mm-ID barrel. A cryogenic 3 He separator, which was an integral part of the gun assembly, was capable of lowering 3 He levels in the feed gas to <0.005%. The experiment was housed to a glovebox for tritium containment. Nearly 1500 pellets were produced during the course of the experiment, and about a third of these were pure tritium or mixtures of deuterium and tritium. Over 100 kCi of tritium was processed through the experiment without incident. Tritium pellet velocities of 1400 m/s were achieved with high-pressure hydrogen propellant. The design, operation, and results of this experiment are summarized. 34 refs., 44 figs., 3 tabs

  13. Tritium permeation and recovery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bond, R.A.; Hamilton, A.M.

    1987-01-01

    The paper is an appendix to a study of the reactor relevance of the NET design concept. The latter study examines whether the technologies and design principles proposed for NET can be directly extrapolated to a demonstration (DEMO) reactor. In this appendix, tritium transport in the DEMO breeding blanket is considered with emphasis on the permeation rate from the lithium-lead breeder into the coolant. A computational model used to calculate the tritium transport in the breeder blanket is described. Results are reported for the tritium transport in the NET/INTOR type blanket as well as the DEMO blanket in order to provide a comparison. In addition, results are presented for the helium coolant tritium extraction analysis. (U.K.)

  14. Observation of the movement of the precipitation by using tritium tracer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao, Yurong; Ishida, Sayuri; Takada, Kayoko; Imaizumi, Hiroshi; Kano, Naoki; Saito, Masaaki

    2011-01-01

    Tracer techniques have proven to be one of the most powerful tools to characterize the movement of air mass and pollutant transport in hydrological systems. In order to clarify the behavior of low-level tritium in the rain water, we have employed the measuring method of tritium applying a distillation process and an electrolytic enrichment process. The activity of tritium (T specific activity) in the obtained water was measured by liquid scintillation counter. This procedure was applied to bulk precipitation, imitative ground infiltrated precipitation and short term precipitation collected in Niigata City. Moreover, we investigated the concentrations of cations (Na + , K + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ ) in the precipitation to associate with air mass transport patterns arriving at the place. From the above mentioned, next matters have been clarified: (1) T specific activity in precipitation was found to have a strong dependence on location and season. (2) The chemical components in precipitation during typhoon have notable character of marine air mass. (3) Associated ions in monthly precipitation showed seasonal variation, in fact, the seasonal variation of Ca 2+ and tritium were very similar. (4) Backward trajectory analysis method is useful for the analysis of the behavior of T specific activity and several ions in short-term precipitation. (author)

  15. Contribution to the tritium continental effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewis, R.R.; Froehlich, K.; Hebert, D.

    1987-01-01

    The results of tritium measurements of atmospheric water vapour and precipitation samples for 1982 and 1983 are presented. The data were used to establish a simple model describing the tritium continental effect taking into account re-evaporation of tritium from the continental land surfaces. Some comments on man made tritium are given. (author)

  16. Removal of contaminating tritium and tritium pressure measurement by a secondary electron multiplier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ichimura, K.; Watanabe, K.; Nishizawa, K.; Fujita, J.

    1984-01-01

    A ceramic secondary electron multiplier (SEM), Ceratron, was used to study impairment of the SEM performance due to adsorbed tritium, its decontamination, and the applicability of the SEM to measure tritium pressure. The background level of the SEM increased significantly, up to its counting limit, due to tritium adsorption. Heating it to 300 0 C in vacuo and/or in the presence of reactive gases such as D 2 and CO at 1 x 10 -4 Pa was not effective to decontaminate the SEM, whereas photon irradiation was extremely powerful for the decontamination. The tritium (HT) pressure in a range of 1 x 10 -6 - 1 x 10 -3 Pa could be measured with no significant impairment of the SEM performance with the aid of photon irradiation. It is revealed that a particle flux as low as 1 particle/s will be able to measure in the presence of tritium if suitable photon sources are installed in the systems. (orig.)

  17. Metabolism distribution and transfer of tritium in pregnant mice after exposure to tritium water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Huimin; Zhou Xiangyan; Li Li; Zhang Zhixing

    1993-01-01

    Tritium water with three kind of different dose was singly injected intraperitoneally to pregnant mice in various time. The tritium concentration in the tissues from mother mice were measured on the 3.5 days after mother mice parturition. Dose rates in baby mice were estimated, as well as the transfer coefficient of tritium from mother mice to baby mice was calculated based on the tritium concentrations. The results of the experiment showed that tritium was almost uniformly distributed among the tissues after exposure to tritiated water at three experimental groups. However, it was found that relative concentrations of tritium in the baby mice tissues were consistently higher than that in mother mice tissues for three experimental groups. The relative concentration of tritium in the tissues was not affected by the different dose but developing on the exposure time. The results of radiation dose rates from baby mice estimation at the end of exposure showed that the higher radiation dose rates was found in the mice exposed to tritiated water during 7.5 days. The transfer coefficient of tritium from mother mice into baby mice was almost no different among the three radiation dose groups. The highest transfer coefficient was observed in mother mice exposed to tritiated baby mice was almost no different among the three radiation dose groups. The highest coefficient was observed in mother mice exposed to tritiated water during 16.5 days, however it was not found that transfer coefficient were higher in the mother mice exposed to tritiated water during 11.5 days than that of 7.5 days

  18. Tritium recovery as waste sub product in the Fluorine 18 production in a nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flores R, H.; Palma G, F.A.; Ramirez, F.M.

    1990-09-01

    The tritium is a radioisotope that can be used to carry out basic as applied research. The current researches on the labelling of the organic molecules as well as its application in diagnostic, radiotherapy and hydrology among others confirm the before said. Due to their utility, they have been carried out studies to recover it of radioactive or nuclear waste as well as, to concentrate it of the natural water, the one which due to the nuclear tests in the last decades has gotten rich in tritium. In this work previous studies to recover the tritium coming from the process that was used to produce F-18 following the reaction 6 Li (n, α) 3 H, 16 O (t, n) 18 F in made up of lithium oxygenated, in the TRIGA Mark III Nuclear Reactor of the Nuclear Center of Mexico. The method consists on purifying by ion exchange the waste solutions where F-18 took place, to distill them and to concentrate them for an electrochemical method. It was already adapts a system reported to concentrate big volumes (approximately 250 ml) in such a way that could be used for small volumes. It was recovered 30% of the considered initial quantity of tritium. A modification to the proposed methodology will allow to recover the waste tritium in a percentage greater to 80%. (Author)

  19. Estimated yield of double-strand breaks from internal exposure to tritium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jing

    2012-08-01

    Internal exposure to tritium may result in DNA lesions. Of those, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are believed to be important. However, experimental and computational data of DSBs induction by tritium are very limited. In this study, microdosimetric characteristics of uniformly distributed tritium were determined in dimensions of critical significance in DNA DSBs. Those characteristics were used to identify other particles comparable to tritium in terms of microscopic energy deposition. The yield of DSBs could be strongly dependent on biological systems and cellular environments. After reviewing theoretically predicted and experimentally determined DSB yields available in the literature for low-energy electrons and high-energy protons of comparable microdosimetric characteristics to tritium in the dimensions relevant to DSBs, it is estimated that the average DSB yields of 2.7 × 10(-11), 0.93 × 10(-11), 2.4 × 10(-11) and 1.6 × 10(-11) DSBs Gy(-1) Da(-1) could be reasonable estimates for tritium in plasmid DNAs, yeast cells, Chinese hamster V79 cells and human fibroblasts, respectively. If a biological system is not specified, the DSB yield from tritium exposure can be estimated as (2.3 ± 0.7) × 10(-11) DSBs Gy(-1) Da(-1), which is a simple average over experimentally determined yields of DSBs for low-energy electrons in various biological systems without considerations of variations caused by different techniques used and obvious differences among different biological systems where the DSB yield was measured.

  20. Radiation-induced tritium labelling and product analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peng, C.T. (California Univ., San Francisco, CA (United States). Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry)

    1993-05-01

    By-products formed in radiation-induced tritium labelling are identified by co-chromatography with authentic samples or by structure prediction using a quantitative structure-retention index relationship. The by-products, formed from labelling of steroids, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, 7-membered heterocyclic ring structures, 1,4-benzodiazepines, 1-haloalkanes, etc. with activated tritium and adsorbed tritium, are shown to be specifically labelled and anticipated products from known chemical reactions. From analyses of the by-products, one can conclude that the hydrogen abstraction by tritium atoms and the substitution by tritium ions are the mechanisms of labelling. Classification of the tritium labelling methods, on the basis of the type of tritium reagent, clearly shows the active role played by tritium atoms and ions in radiation-induced methods. (author).

  1. Tritium activity balance in hairless rats following skin-contact exposure to tritium-gas-contaminated stainless-steel surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trivedi, A

    1994-06-01

    Studies using animals and human volunteers have demonstrated that the dosimetry for skin-contact exposure to contaminated metal surfaces differs from that for the intake of tritiated water or tritium gas. However, despite the availability of some information on the dosimetry for skin-contact with tritium-gas-contaminated metal surfaces, uncertainties in estimating skin doses remain, because of poor accounting for the applied tritium activity in the body (Eakins et al., 1975; Trivedi, 1993). Experiments on hairless rats were performed to account for the tritium activity applied onto the skin. Hairless rats were contaminated through skin-contact exposure to tritium-gas-contaminated stainless-steel planchets. The activity in the first smear was about 35% of the total removable activity (measured by summing ten consecutive swipes). The amount of tritium applied onto the skin can be approximated by estimating the tritium activity in the first smear removed form the contaminated surfaces. 87 {+-} 9% of the transferred tritium was retained in the exposed skin 30 min post-exposure. 30 min post exposure, the unexposed skin and the carcass retained 8 {+-} 6% and 3 {+-} 2% of the total applied tritium activity, respectively. The percentage of tritium evolved from the body or breathed out was estimated to be 2 {+-} 1% of the total applied activity 30 min post-exposure. It is recommended that to evaluate accurately the amount of tritium transferred to the skin, alternative measurement approaches are required that can directly account for the transferred activity onto the skin. 15 refs., 13 tabs., 7 figs.

  2. Tritium monitoring in environment at ICIT Tritium Separation Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varlam, Carmen; Stefanescu, I.; Vagner, Irina; Faurescu, I.; Toma, A.; Dulama, C.; Dobrin, R.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: The Cryogenic Pilot is an experimental project developed within the national nuclear energy research program, which is designed to develop the required technologies for tritium and deuterium separation by cryogenic distillation of heavy water. The process used in this installation is based on a combination between liquid-phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) and cryogenic distillation. Basically, there are two ways that the Cryogenic Pilot could interact with the environment: by direct atmospheric release and through the sewage system. This experimental installation is located 15 km near the region biggest city and in the vicinity - about 1 km, of Olt River. It must be specified that in the investigated area there is an increased chemical activity; almost the entire Experimental Cryogenic Pilot's neighborhood is full of active chemical installations. This aspect is really essential for our study because the sewerage system is connected with the other three chemical plants from the neighborhood. For that reason we progressively established elements of an environmental monitoring program well in advance of tritium operation in order to determine baseline levels. The first step was the tritium level monitoring in environmental water and wastewater of industrial activity from neighborhood. In order to establish the base level of tritium concentration in the environment around the nuclear facilities, we investigated the sample preparation treatment for different types of samples: onion, green beams, grass, apple, garden lettuce, tomato, cabbage, strawberry and grapes. We used azeotropic distillation of all types of samples, the carrier solvent being toluene from different Romanian providers. All measurements for the determination of environmental tritium concentration were performed using liquid scintillation counting (LSC), with the Quantulus 1220 spectrometer. (authors)

  3. Commercial Light Water Reactor -Tritium Extraction Facility Process Waste Assessment (Project S-6091)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsu, R.H.; Delley, A.O.; Alexander, G.J.; Clark, E.A.; Holder, J.S.; Lutz, R.N.; Malstrom, R.A.; Nobles, B.R. [Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States); Carson, S.D. [Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, NM (United States); Peterson, P.K. [Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, NM (United States)

    1997-11-30

    The Savannah River Site (SRS) has been tasked by the Department of Energy (DOE) to design and construct a Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) to process irradiated tritium producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs) from a Commercial Light Water Reactor (CLWR). The plan is for the CLWR-TEF to provide tritium to the SRS Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF) in Building 233-H in support of DOE requirements. The CLWR-TEF is being designed to provide 3 kg of new tritium per year, from TPBARS and other sources of tritium (Ref. 1-4).The CLWR TPBAR concept is being developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The TPBAR assemblies will be irradiated in a Commercial Utility light water nuclear reactor and transported to the SRS for tritium extraction and processing at the CLWR-TEF. A Conceptual Design Report for the CLWR-TEF Project was issued in July 1997 (Ref. 4).The scope of this Process Waste Assessment (PWA) will be limited to CLWR-TEF processing of CLWR irradiated TPBARs. Although the CLWR- TEF will also be designed to extract APT tritium-containing materials, they will be excluded at this time to facilitate timely development of this PWA. As with any process, CLWR-TEF waste stream characteristics will depend on process feedstock and contaminant sources. If irradiated APT tritium-containing materials are to be processed in the CLWR-TEF, this PWA should be revised to reflect the introduction of this contaminant source term.

  4. Commercial Light Water Reactor -Tritium Extraction Facility Process Waste Assessment (Project S-6091)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, R.H.; Delley, A.O.; Alexander, G.J.; Clark, E.A.; Holder, J.S.; Lutz, R.N.; Malstrom, R.A.; Nobles, B.R.; Carson, S.D.; Peterson, P.K.

    1997-01-01

    The Savannah River Site (SRS) has been tasked by the Department of Energy (DOE) to design and construct a Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) to process irradiated tritium producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs) from a Commercial Light Water Reactor (CLWR). The plan is for the CLWR-TEF to provide tritium to the SRS Replacement Tritium Facility (RTF) in Building 233-H in support of DOE requirements. The CLWR-TEF is being designed to provide 3 kg of new tritium per year, from TPBARS and other sources of tritium (Ref. 1-4).The CLWR TPBAR concept is being developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The TPBAR assemblies will be irradiated in a Commercial Utility light water nuclear reactor and transported to the SRS for tritium extraction and processing at the CLWR-TEF. A Conceptual Design Report for the CLWR-TEF Project was issued in July 1997 (Ref. 4).The scope of this Process Waste Assessment (PWA) will be limited to CLWR-TEF processing of CLWR irradiated TPBARs. Although the CLWR- TEF will also be designed to extract APT tritium-containing materials, they will be excluded at this time to facilitate timely development of this PWA. As with any process, CLWR-TEF waste stream characteristics will depend on process feedstock and contaminant sources. If irradiated APT tritium-containing materials are to be processed in the CLWR-TEF, this PWA should be revised to reflect the introduction of this contaminant source term

  5. Tritium sources; Izvori tricijuma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Glodic, S [Institute of Nuclear Sciences VINCA, Belgrade (Yugoslavia); Boreli, F [Elektrotehnicki fakultet, Belgrade (Yugoslavia)

    1993-07-01

    Tritium is the only radioactive isotope of hydrogen. It directly follows the metabolism of water and it can be bound into genetic material, so it is very important to control levels of contamination. In order to define the state of contamination it is necessary to establish 'zero level', i.e. actual global inventory. The importance of tritium contamination monitoring increases with the development of fusion power installations. Different sources of tritium are analyzed and summarized in this paper. (author)

  6. Tritium inventory prediction in a CANDU plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, M.J.; Son, S.H.; Jang, C.H.

    1995-01-01

    The flow of tritium in a CANDU nuclear power plant was modeled to predict tritium activity build-up. Predictions were generally in good agreement with field measurements for the period 1983--1994. Fractional contributions of coolant and moderator systems to the environmental tritium release were calculated by least square analysis using field data from the Wolsong plant. From the analysis, it was found that: (1) about 94% of tritiated heavy water loss came from the coolant system; (2) however, about 64% of environmental tritium release came from the moderator system. Predictions of environmental tritium release were also in good agreement with field data from a few other CANDU plants. The model was used to calculate future tritium build-up and environmental tritium release at Wolsong site, Korea, where one unit is operating and three more units are under construction. The model predicts the tritium inventory at Wolsong site to increase steadily until it reaches the maximum of 66.3 MCi in the year 2026. The model also predicts the tritium release rate to reach a maximum of 79 KCi/yr in the year 2012. To reduce the tritium inventory at Wolsong site, construction of a tritium removal facility (TRF) is under consideration. The maximum needed TRF capacity of 8.7 MCi/yr was calculated to maintain tritium concentration effectively in CANDU reactors

  7. Investigation of the tritium release from Building 324 in which the stack tritium sampler was off, April 14 through 17, 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, D.H.

    1998-01-01

    On April 14, 1998, a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researcher performing work in the Building 324 facility approached facility management and asked if facility management could turn off the tritium sampler in the main exhaust stack. The researcher was demonstrating the feasibility of treating components from dismantled nuclear weapons in a device called a plasma arc furnace and was concerned that the sampler would compromise classified information. B and W Hanford Company (BWHC) operated the facility, and PNNL conducted research as a tenant in the facility. The treatment of 200 components in the furnace would result in the release of up to about 20 curies of tritium through the facility stack. The exact quantity of tritium was calculated from the manufacturing data for the weapons components and was known to be less than 20 curies. The Notice of Construction (NOC) approved by the Washington State Department of Health (WDOH) had been modified to allow releasing 20 curies of tritium through the stack in support of this research. However, there were irregularities in the way the NOC modification was processed. The researcher was concerned that data performed on the sampler could be used to back-calculate the tritium content of the components, revealing classified information about the design of nuclear weapons. He had discussed this with the PNNZ security organization, and they had told him that data from the sampler would be classified. He was also concerned that if he could not proceed with operation of the plasma arc furnace, the furnace would be damaged. The researcher told BWHC management that the last time the furnace was shut down and restarted it had cost $0.5 million and caused a six month delay in the project's schedule. He had already begun heating up the furnace before recognizing the security problem and was concerned that stopping the heatup could damage the furnace. The NOC that allowed the research did not have an explicit requirement to

  8. Electric-Discharge Machining Techniques for Evaluating Tritium Effects on Materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morgan, M.J.

    2003-01-01

    In this investigation, new ways to evaluate the long-term effects of tritium on the structural properties of components were developed. Electric-discharge machining (EDM) techniques for cutting tensile and fracture toughness samples from tritium exposed regions of returned reservoirs were demonstrated. An existing electric discharge machine was used to cut sub-size tensile and fracture toughness samples from the inside surfaces of reservoir mockups. Tensile properties from the EDM tensile samples were similar to those measured using full-size samples cut from similar stock. Although the existing equipment could not be used for machining tritium-exposed hardware, off-the shelf EDM units are available that could. With the right equipment and the required radiological controls in place, similar machining and testing techniques could be used to directly measure the effects of tritium on the properties of material cut from reservoir returns. Stress-strain properties from tritium-exposed reservoirs would improve finite element modeling of reservoir performance because the data would be representative of the true state of the reservoir material in the field. Tensile data from samples cut directly from reservoirs would also complement existing shelf storage and burst test data of the Life Storage Program and help answer questions about a specific reservoir's processing history and properties

  9. Procedure and technique critique for tritium enrichment by electrolysis at the IAEA Laboratory (effective November 1976)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1976-11-05

    This publication gives a detailed description of the experimental and calculation procedures for tritium enrichment. Most descriptive sections are divided into 2 parts: Section A describes the procedure in the IAEA laboratory; section B discusses the reasons behind the various procedures, and may indicate alternative acceptable, or in some cases even better, procedures. The description of the equipment focuses on electrolysis cells, cooling system and power supply. Routine procedures are discussed including handling and checking of samples after receipt, 'spike' and blank water, initial sample distillation, preparation of cells and samples for electrolysis, electrolysis and completion of electrolysis (weighing of cells, neutralisation and distillation) and precautions against contaminations (prevention, detection and cure). A list of equipment required for electrolytic enrichment of tritium is provided.

  10. Procedure and technique critique for tritium enrichment by electrolysis at the IAEA Laboratory (effective November 1976)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1976-01-01

    This publication gives a detailed description of the experimental and calculation procedures for tritium enrichment. Most descriptive sections are divided into 2 parts: Section A describes the procedure in the IAEA laboratory; section B discusses the reasons behind the various procedures, and may indicate alternative acceptable, or in some cases even better, procedures. The description of the equipment focuses on electrolysis cells, cooling system and power supply. Routine procedures are discussed including handling and checking of samples after receipt, 'spike' and blank water, initial sample distillation, preparation of cells and samples for electrolysis, electrolysis and completion of electrolysis (weighing of cells, neutralisation and distillation) and precautions against contaminations (prevention, detection and cure). A list of equipment required for electrolytic enrichment of tritium is provided

  11. Tritium monitor with improved gamma-ray discrimination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Samson A.; Bennett, Edgar F.; Yule, Thomas J.

    1985-01-01

    Apparatus and method for selective measurement of tritium oxide in an environment which may include other radioactive components and gamma radiation, the measurement including the selective separation of tritium oxide from a sample gas through a membrane into a counting gas, the generation of electrical pulses individually representative by rise times of tritium oxide and other radioactivity in the counting gas, separation of the pulses by rise times, and counting of those pulses representative of tritium oxide. The invention further includes the separate measurement of any tritium in the sample gas by oxidizing the tritium to tritium oxide and carrying out a second separation and analysis procedure as described above.

  12. Remote handling needs of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smiltnieks, V.

    1982-07-01

    This report is the result of a Task Force study commissioned by the Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project (CFFTP) to investigate the remote handling requirements at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and identify specific areas where CFFTP could offer a contractual or collaborative participation, drawing on the Canadian industrial expertise in remote handling technology. The Task Force reviewed four areas related to remote handling requirements; the TFTR facility as a whole, the service equipment required for remote maintenance, the more complex in-vessel components, and the tritium systems. Remote maintenance requirements both inside the vacuum vessel and around the periphery of the machine were identified as the principal areas where Canadian resources could effectively provide an input, initially in requirement definition, concept evaluation and feasibility design, and subsequently in detailed design and manufacture. Support requirements were identified in such areas as the mock-up facility and a variety of planning studies relating to reliability, availability, and staff training. Specific tasks are described which provide an important data base to the facility's remote handling requirements. Canadian involvement in the areas is suggested where expertise exists and support for the remote handling work is warranted. Reliability, maintenance operations, inspection strategy and decommissioning are suggested for study. Several specific components are singled out as needing development

  13. Tritium monitoring in the environment of the French territory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leprieur, F.; Roussel-Debet, S.; Pierrard, O.; Tournieux, D.; Boissieux, T.; Caldera-Ideias, P. [Institut de radioprotection et de surete nucleaire (France)

    2014-07-01

    Introduction: Radioactive releases in the environment from civilian and military nuclear facilities have significantly decreased over the last few decades, except for discharges of tritium which are forecast to increase due to changes in the fuel management in power plants and in the longer term by new tritium-emitting units (fusion reactors). In the aim to perform its radiological monitoring mission throughout the French territory, IRSN uses and develops advanced technology equipment to sample and to analyze tritium in the different environmental compartments. Methodology: IRSN uses bubblers to collect both tritium vapour (HTO) and gaseous tritium (mainly HT) in the air. Another method, developed by IRSN, consists in directly sampling the water vapour in the air by condensing in a cold trap and more recently with passive sampler. In continental and marine surface water, samples are usually collected by automatic water samplers. Instantaneous surface water samples are also collected by grab sample devices. In addition, IRSN conducts animal and plant samples near French nuclear facilities. Natural origin and tritium remaining from testing of nuclear weapons In the atmosphere, the background levels of tritium of 1 to 2 Bq/L measured in water vapour, equivalent to an activity of 0.01 to 0.02 Bq/m{sup 3} of air. In fresh waters, the tritium activity currently ranges between 1 and 3 Bq/L of water. In the marine environment, tritium emitted during nuclear weapon tests has been totally 'diluted' in cosmogenic tritium and concentration levels at the surface have remained around 0.1 to 0.2 Bq/L. In biological matrices, total tritium concentration range from 1 to 3 Bq/kg f.w. with a variable proportion of free and organically bounded forms. Tritium around nuclear facilities: Close to facilities releasing more than 2x10{sup 13} Bq/year of gaseous tritium, higher activity levels, ranging from a few tens to a few hundred Bq/L, are observed in the atmospheric and

  14. Tritium means of detection and of protection; Le tritium moyens de detection et de protection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sutra-Fourcade, Y [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Marcoule (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1967-07-01

    The report is an attempt to correlate present data concerning tritium, especially from the health physics points of view. The various detection and measurement methods are reviewed in turn: measurement of tritium in the atmosphere, in liquids and on surfaces. The operation of various types of apparatus is analyzed and the sensitivity limits deduced from laboratory tests are given. Otter sections are devoted to the means of protection which can be used against inhalation of tritium (ventilation, protective clothing) and to calculations of the changes in atmospheric pollution in a given place and of the time spent in a contaminated zone. The last part deals with the decontamination of equipment contaminated with tritium. (author) [French] Le rapport represente un essai de synthese des connaissances actuelles sur le tritium, essentiellement du point de vue de la radioprotection. Les differents moyens de detection et de mesure sont successivement passes en revue: mesure du tritium dans l'atmosphere, dans les liquides, sur les surfaces. Le fonctionnement de differents types d'appareils est analyse et les limites de sensibilite sont donnees d'apres les essais effectues en laboratoire. D'autres paragraphes sont consacres aux moyens de protection contre l'inhalation du tritium (ventilation, vetements de protection), a des calculs d'evolution de pollution atmospherique dans les locaux et de temps de presence en atmosphere contaminee. La derniere partie se rapporte a la de contamination de materiel contamine par du tritium. (auteur)

  15. Analysis of the organically bound tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baglan, N.; Alanic, G.

    2011-01-01

    In environmental samples, tritium is very often combined with the fraction of bulk water accumulated in the sample but also in the form of organically bound tritium. When the tritium is organically bound, 2 forms can coexist: the exchangeable fraction and the non-exchangeable fraction. The analysis of the different forms of tritium present in the sample is necessary to assess the sanitary hazards due to tritium. The total tritium is obtained from the analysis of the water released when the fresh sample is burnt while the organically bound tritium is obtained from the analysis of the water released when the dry extract of the sample is burnt. The measurement of the exchangeable fraction and the non-exchangeable fraction requires an additional stage of labile exchange. The exchangeable fraction is determined from the analysis of the water released during the labile exchange and the non-exchangeable fraction is determined from the water released during the combustion of the dry extract of the labile exchange

  16. A review of tritium licensing requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meikle, A.B.

    1982-12-01

    Present Canadian regulations and anticipated changes to these regulations relevant to the utilization of tritium in fusion facilities and in commercial applications have been reviewed. It is concluded that there are no serious licensing obstacles, but there are a number of requirements which must be met. A license will be required from Atomic Energy Control Board if Ontario Hydro tritium is to be applied by other users. A license is required from the Federal Government to export or import tritium. A licensed container will be required for the storage and shipping of tritium. The containers being designed by AECL and Ontario Hydro and which are currently being tested will adequately store and ship all of the Ontario Hydro tritium but are unnecessarily large for the small quantities required by the commercial tritium users. Also, some users may prefer to receive tritium in gaseous form. An additional, smaller container should be considered. The licensing of overseas fusion facilities for the use of tritium is seen as a major undertaking offering opportunities to Canadian Fusion Fuels Technology Project to undertake health, safety and environmental analysis on behalf of these facilities

  17. Tritium Systems Test Facility. Volume I

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anderson, G.W.; Battleson, K.W.; Bauer, W.

    1976-10-01

    Sandia Laboratories proposes to build and operate a Tritium Systems Test Facility (TSTF) in its newly completed Tritium Research Laboratory at Livermore, California (see frontispiece). The facility will demonstrate at a scale factor of 1:200 the tritium fuel cycle systems for an Experimental Power Reactor (EPR). This scale for each of the TSTF subsystems--torus, pumping system, fuel purifier, isotope separator, and tritium store--will allow confident extrapolation to EPR dimensions. Coolant loop and reactor hall cleanup facilities are also reproduced, but to different scales. It is believed that all critical details of an EPR tritium system will be simulated correctly in the facility. Tritium systems necessary for interim devices such as the Ignition Test Reactor (ITR) or The Next Step (TNS) can also be simulated in TSTF at other scale values. The active tritium system will be completely enclosed in an inert atmosphere glove box which will be connected to the existing Gas Purification System (GPS) of the Tritium Research Laboratory. In effect, the GPS will become the scaled environmental control system which otherwise would have to be built especially for the TSTF

  18. A study of tritium behavior in lithium oxide by ion conductivity measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noda, Kenji; Ishii, Yoshinobu; Ohno, Hideo; Watanabe, Hitoshi

    1989-01-01

    Ion conductivity of lithium oxide (Li 2 O) irradiated with oxygen ions was measured to obtain information about the effects of irradiation on the behavior of lithium ions and tritium. The conductivity around 490 K decreased with the ion fluence, while around 440 K it increased. The decrease around 490 K and the increase around 440 K were assumed to be attributed to the F + centers and the unspecified radiation defects, respectively. From the point of view that the rate determinant in the mechanism of diffusion of lithium ions in Li 2 O leading to the ion conductivity is the same as that of tritium, the diffusivity of tritium is assumed to be as follows: the diffusivity of tritium is decreased by the F + centers in the range from 490 K to the temperature at which almost all of F + centers are recovered, while it is increased around 440 K by the unspecified radiation defects. In addition, effects of the irradiation on valence states of tritium (i.e., T + , T - ) were discussed in terms of the radiation defects. (orig.)

  19. Management of Tritium in ITER Waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosanvallon, S.; Benchikhoune, M.; Ciattaglia, S.; Uzan, J. Elbez; Na, B. C.; Taylor, N.; Gastaldi, O.

    2011-01-01

    ITER will use tritium as fuel. Procedures and processes are thus put in place in order to recover the tritium that is not used in the fusion reaction, including from waste and effluents. The tritium thus recovered can be re-injected into the fuel cycle. Moreover, tritium content and thus outgassing may be a safety concern, because of the potential for releases to the environment, both from the facility and from the final disposal (subjected to stringent acceptance criteria in the current waste final disposal). The aim of this paper is to present the measures considered to deal with the specific case of tritium in the liquid and solid waste that will arise from ITER operation and decommissioning. It concerns the processes that are considered from the waste production to its final disposal and in particular: the tritium removal stages (in-situ divertor baking at 350 C and tritium removal from solid waste and liquid and gaseous effluents), the removal of dust contamination (dust containing tritium produced by plasma-wall interaction and by the maintenance/ refurbishment processes) and the measures to enable safe processing and storage of the waste (wall-liner in the hot cell facility to limit concrete contamination and interim storage enabling tritium decay for waste that could not be directly accepted in the host-country final disposal facilities). (authors)

  20. Tritium concentrations in natural waters in Japan before use of a large quantity of tritium on its fusion program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaji, Toshio; Momoshima, Noriyuki; Takashima, Yoshimasa.

    1989-01-01

    To clarify environmental tritium levels in Japan before use of a large quantity of tritium on its fusion program, the authors analyzed the tritium concentrations in various water samples, such as rain, river, lake, coastal sea and deep sea waters in Japan. The tritium concentrations in rain water were high at higher latitude. The definite differences of the tritium concentrations due to the weather conditions or seasons were not observed. The average tritium concentration in river water was 51.5 pCi/l in 1982 and that in lake water was 63.5 pCi/l in 1983. The vertical profiles of the tritium concentrations in the representative lakes were almost homogeneous except surface water. The average tritium concentrations in coastal seawater were about 20 pCi/l in both 1982 and 1983. The tendency of the increased tritium level with latitude as reported in literature was not observed by these experiments. Tritium levels in natural water in small isolated islands were lower than those at other places. In the Japan Sea, it was recognized that tritium was distributed down to around 2000 m in depth. This means that the more active vertical mixing of water masses than that in the Pacific Ocean is taking place. (author)

  1. Seismic engineering for an expanded tritium facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volkman, D.E.; Olive, W.B.; Endebrocid, E.E.; Khan, P.K.; Rebillet, W.R.

    1997-10-01

    An existing complex of three single story concrete and masonry shear wall buildings will be integrated into an expanded tritium facility for neutron tube target loading. Known as the NTTL Project, the expanded plant is a major element of the Department of Energy's tritium program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. This paper describes seismic evaluation and upgrade modifications for the 1950's concrete shear wall building; drift analyses of two 1980's CMU [concrete masonry unit] shear wall buildings; design of a new CMU shear wall building linking existing structures and providing personnel change room services; and design of a new steel frame building housing HVAC and electrical power and communication equipment for the complex. All buildings are closely adjacent and drift analysis to establish separation to prevent pounding is a major seismic engineering concern for the project

  2. Analysis of in-pile tritium release experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kopasz, J.P.; Tam, S.W.; Johnson, C.E.

    1992-01-01

    The objective of this work is to characterize tritium release behavior from lithium ceramics and develop insight into the underlying tritium release mechanisms. Analysis of tritium release data from recent laboratory experiments with lithium aluminate has identified physical processes which were previously unaccounted for in tritium release models. A new model that incorporates the recent data and provides for release from multiple sites rather than only one site was developed. Calculations of tritium release using this model are in excellent agreement with the tritium release behavior reported for the MOZART experiment

  3. Distribution of tritium in a chronically contaminated lake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blaylock, B.G.; Frank, M.L.

    1978-01-01

    White Oak Lake located on the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation receives a continuous input of tritium from operating facilities and waste disposal operations at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The purpose of this paper was (1) to determine the distribution and concentration of tritium in an aquatic environment which has received releases of tritium significantly greater than expected releases from nuclear power plants, and (2) to determine the effect of fluctuating tritium concentrations in ambient water on the concentration of tritium in fish. Aquatic biota from White Oak Lake were analyzed for tissue water tritium and tissue bound tritium. Except for one plant species, the ratio of tissue water tritium to lake water tritium ranged from 0.80 to 1.02. The tissue water tritium in Gambusia affinis, the mosquito fish, followed closely the significant changes in tritium concentration in lake water. The turnover of tissue water tritium was very rapid; Gambusia from White Oak Lake eliminated 50% of their tissue water tritium in 14 min. The ratio of the specific activity of the tissue bound tritium to the specific activity of the lake water was greatest for the larger species of fish but never exceeded unity. The radiation dose to man from tritium which could be acquired through the aquatic food chain was relatively small when compared to other pathways. The whole body dose to a hypothetical individual taking in concentrations of tritium measured in White Oak Lake was 1.8 mrem/yr from eating fish and 10.0 mrem/yr from drinking water

  4. Tritium proof-of-principle pellet injector results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, P.W.; Fehling, D.T.; Gouge, M.J.; Milora, S.L.

    1989-01-01

    The tritium proof-of-principle (TPOP) experiment was built by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to demonstrate the feasibility of forming solid tritium pellets and accelerating them to high velocities for fueling future fusion reactors. TPOP used a pneumatic pipe-gun with a 4-mm-i.d. by 1-m-long barrel. Nearly 1500 pellets were fired by the gun during the course of the experiment; about a third of these were tritium or mixtures of deuterium and tritium. The system also contained a cryogenic 3 He separator that reduced the 3 He level to <0.005%. Pure tritium pellets were accelerated to 1400 m/s. Experiments evaluated the effect of cryostat temperature and fill pressure on pellet size, the production of pellets from mixtures of tritium and deuterium, and the effect of aging on pellet integrity. The tritium phase of these experiments was performed at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. About 100 kCi of tritium was processed through the apparatus without incident. 8 refs., 7 figs

  5. Estimated yield of double-strand breaks from internal exposure to tritium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Jing [Health Canada, Radiation Protection Bureau, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

    2012-08-15

    Internal exposure to tritium may result in DNA lesions. Of those, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are believed to be important. However, experimental and computational data of DSBs induction by tritium are very limited. In this study, microdosimetric characteristics of uniformly distributed tritium were determined in dimensions of critical significance in DNA DSBs. Those characteristics were used to identify other particles comparable to tritium in terms of microscopic energy deposition. The yield of DSBs could be strongly dependent on biological systems and cellular environments. After reviewing theoretically predicted and experimentally determined DSB yields available in the literature for low-energy electrons and high-energy protons of comparable microdosimetric characteristics to tritium in the dimensions relevant to DSBs, it is estimated that the average DSB yields of 2.7 x 10{sup -11}, 0.93 x 10{sup -11}, 2.4 x 10{sup -11} and 1.6 x 10{sup -11} DSBs Gy{sup -1} Da{sup -1} could be reasonable estimates for tritium in plasmid DNAs, yeast cells, Chinese hamster V79 cells and human fibroblasts, respectively. If a biological system is not specified, the DSB yield from tritium exposure can be estimated as (2.3 ± 0.7) x 10{sup -11} DSBs Gy{sup -1} Da{sup -1}, which is a simple average over experimentally determined yields of DSBs for low-energy electrons in various biological systems without considerations of variations caused by different techniques used and obvious differences among different biological systems where the DSB yield was measured. (orig.)

  6. Overview of light sources powered by tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Jian; Lei Jiarong; Liu Wenke

    2012-01-01

    Due to their long lifespan and stable intensity, light sources initiated by tritium instead of electricity or batteries are suitable for low level lighting applications. Therefore, tritium-based radioluminescent (RL) light sources are widely used in both military and civil applications. However, traditional tritium lights with the gas tube structure have several shortcomings: (1) the phosphors are opaque; (2) the glass tube is fragile and easily broken; and (3) the beta kinetic energy is attenuated due to the sorption by the gas; etc. As a result, further application of the tritium lights is limited. In this paper, the lighting mechanism and radiation safety of tritium-based RL light sources are briefly reviewed. Besides, the history and prospects of the development of tritium-based RL light source are discussed. Due to their long lifespan and stable intensity, light sources initiated by tritium instead of electricity or batteries are suitable for low level lighting applications. Therefore, tritium- based radioluminescent (RL) light sources are widely used in both military and civil applications. However, traditional tritium lights with the gas tube structure have several short- comings: (1) the phosphors are opaque; (2) the glass tube is fragile and easily broken; and (3) the beta kinetic energy is attenuated due to the sorption by the gas; etc. As a result, further application of the tritium lights is limited. In this paper, the lighting mechanism and radiation safety of tritium-based RL, light sources are briefly reviewed. Besides, the history and prospects of the development of tritium-based RL light source are discussed. (authors)

  7. Atmospheric tritium. Measurement and application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frejaville, Gerard

    1967-02-01

    The possible origins of atmospheric tritium are reviewed and discussed. A description is given of enrichment (electrolysis and thermal diffusion) and counting (gas counters and liquid scintillation counters) processes which can be used for determining atmospheric tritium concentrations. A series of examples illustrates the use of atmospheric tritium for resolving a certain number of hydrological and glaciological problems. (author) [fr

  8. Measurement of tritium concentration in urine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sekiyama, Shigenobu; Deshimaru, Takehide

    1979-01-01

    Concerning the safety management of the advanced thermal reactor ''Fugen'', the internal exposure management for tritium is important, because heavy water is used as the moderator in the reactor, and tritium is produced in the heavy water. Tritium is the radioactive nuclide with the maximum β-ray energy of 18 keV, and the radiation exposure is limited to the internal exposure in human bodies, as tritium is taken in through the skin and by breathing. The tritium concentration in urine of the operators of the Fugen plant was measured. As for tritium measurement, the analysis of raw urine, the analysis after passing through mixed ion exchange resin and the analysis after distillation are applied. The scintillator, the liquid scintillation counter, the ion exchange resin and the distillator are introduced. The preliminary survey was conducted on the urine sample, the scintillator the calibration, etc. The measuring condition, the measurement of efficiency, and the limitation of detection with various background are explained, with the many experimental data and the calculating formula. Concerning the measured tritium concentration in urine, the tritium concentrations in distilled urine, raw urine and the urine refined with ion exchange resin were compared, and the correlation formulae are presented. The actual tritium concentration value in urine was less than 50 pci/ml. The measuring methods of raw urine and the urine refined with ion exchange resin are adequate as they are quick and accurate. (Nakai, Y.)

  9. Tritium-related materials problems in fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hickman, R.G.

    1976-01-01

    Pressing materials problems that must be solved before tritium can be used to produce energy economically in fusion reactors are discussed. The following topics are discussed: (1) breeding tritium, (2) recovering bred tritium, (3) containing tritium, (4) fuel recycling, and (5) laser-fusion fueling

  10. Tritium environmental transport studies at TFTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ritter, P.D.; Dolan, T.J.; Longhurst, G.R.

    1993-01-01

    Environmental tritium concentrations will be measured near the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) to help validate dynamic models of tritium transport in the environment. For model validation the database must contain sequential measurements of tritium concentrations in key environmental compartments. Since complete containment of tritium is an operational goal, the supplementary monitoring program should be able to glean useful data from an unscheduled acute release. Portable air samplers will be used to take samples automatically every 4 hours for a weak after an acute release, thus obtaining the time resolution needed for code validation. Samples of soil, vegetation, and foodstuffs will be gathered daily at the same locations as the active air monitors. The database may help validate the plant/soil/air part of tritium transport models and enhance environmental tritium transport understanding for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)

  11. Tritium environmental transport studies at TFTR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritter, P. D.; Dolan, T. J.; Longhurst, G. R.

    1993-06-01

    Environmental tritium concentrations will be measured near the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) to help validate dynamic models of tritium transport in the environment. For model validation the database must contain sequential measurements of tritium concentrations in key environmental compartments. Since complete containment of tritium is an operational goal, the supplementary monitoring program should be able to glean useful data from an unscheduled acute release. Portable air samplers will be used to take samples automatically every 4 hours for a week after an acute release, thus obtaining the time resolution needed for code validation. Samples of soil, vegetation, and foodstuffs will be gathered daily at the same locations as the active air monitors. The database may help validate the plant/soil/air part of tritium transport models and enhance environmental tritium transport understanding for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

  12. Tritium system design studies of fusion experimental breeder

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Baiquan; Huang Jinhua

    2003-01-01

    A summary of the tritium system design studies for the engineering outline design of a fusion experimental breeder (FEB-E) is presented. This paper is divided into three sections. In first section, the geometry, loading features and tritium concentrations in liquid lithium of tritium breeding zones of blanket are described. The tritium flow chart corresponding to the tritium fuel cycle system has been constructed, and the inventories in ten subsystems are calculated using SWITRIM code in section 2. Results show that the necessary initial tritium storage to start up FEB-E with fusion power of 143 MW is about 319 g. In final section, the tritium leakage issues under different operation circumstances have been analyzed. It was found that the potential danger of tritium leakage could be resulted from the exhausted gas of the diverter system. It is important to elevate the tritium burnup fraction and reduce the tritium throughput. (authors)

  13. Long-term stable surface modification of DLC coatings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gotzmann Gaby

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The use of coatings based on diamond like carbon (DLC for medical applications was established during the last years. Main advantages of these coatings are its high hardness, good wear and friction behavior and its biocompatibility. Using low-energy electron-beam treatment, we addressed the surface modification of DLC coatings. The aim was to generate new biofunctional surface characteristics that are long-term stable.

  14. Tritium research activities in Korea

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jung, Ki Jung, E-mail: kjjung@nfri.re.kr [National Fusion Research Institute, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Yun, Sei-Hun, E-mail: shyun@nfri.re.kr [National Fusion Research Institute, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Min Ho; Kang, Hyun-Goo; Chung, Dongyou; Cho, Seungyon; Lee, Hyeon Gon [National Fusion Research Institute, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-333 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Hongsuk; Choi, Woo-Seok [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Kyu-Min; Moon, Chang-Bae [Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Central Research Institute, Yusung-gu, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Euy Soo [Dongguk University, Jung-gu, Seoul, 100-715 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Jungho; Kim, Dong-Sun [Kongju National University, Cheonan, Chungnam, 330-717 (Korea, Republic of); Moon, Hung-Man [Daesung Industrial Gases Co., Ltd., Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, 425-090 (Korea, Republic of); Noh, Seung Jeong [Dankook University, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 448-701 (Korea, Republic of); Ju, Hyunchul [Inha University, Nam-gu, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Tae-Whan [Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju, Chungbuk, 380-702 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • NFRI, KAERI and KHNP CRI are major leading group for the ITER tritium SDS design; studying engineering, simulation of hydride bed, risk analysis (on safety, HAZOP), basic study, control logic & sequential operation, and others. KHNP has WTRF which gives favorable experiences for collaboration researchers. • Supplementary research partners: Five Universities (Dongguk University and POSTECH, Inha University, Dankook University, Korea National Transport University, and Kongju National University) and one industrial company (Daesung Industrial Gases Co., Ltd.); studying on basic and engineering, programming & simulation on the various topics for ITER tritium SDS, TEP, ISS, ADS, and etc. - Abstract: Major progress in tritium research in the Republic of Korea began when Korea became responsible for ITER tritium Storage and Delivery System (SDS) procurement package which is part of the ITER Fuel Cycle. To deliver the tritium SDS package, a variety of research institutes, universities and industry have respectively taken roles and responsibilities in developing technologies that have led to significant progress. This paper presents the current work and status of tritium related technological research and development (R&D) in Korea and introduces future R&D plans in the area of fuel cycle systems for fusion power generation.

  15. A new Disruption Mitigation System for deuterium–tritium operation at JET

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kruezi, Uron, E-mail: uron.kruezi@ccfe.ac.uk [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom); Jachmich, Stefan [Laboratory for Plasma Physic, ERM/KMS, B-1000 Brussels (Belgium); Koslowski, Hans Rudolf [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IEK-4, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Lehnen, Michael [ITER Organization, Route de Vinon-sur-Verdon, CS90046, 13067 St. Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Brezinsek, Sebastijan [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, IEK-4, 52425 Jülich (Germany); Matthews, Guy [CCFE, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3DB (United Kingdom)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • A Disruption Mitigation System based on massive gas injections has been designed. • The DMS has been installed at the JET-tokamak for routine machine protection. • The DMS is capable of a throughput of up to 4.6 kPa m{sup 3}. • The new DMS is compatible with the deuterium–tritium operation at JET. - Abstract: Disruptions, the fast accidental losses of plasma current and stored energy in tokamaks, represent a significant risk to the mechanical structure as well as the plasma facing components of reactor-scale fusion facilities like ITER. At JET, the tokamak experiment closest to ITER in terms of operating parameters and size, massive gas injection has been established as a disruption mitigation method. As a “last resort” measure it reduces thermal and electromagnetic loads during disruptions which can potentially have a serious impact on the beryllium and tungsten plasma-facing materials of the main chamber and divertor. For the planned deuterium–tritium experiments, a new Disruption Mitigation System (DMS) has been designed and installed and is presented in this article. The new DMS at JET consists of an all metal gate valve compatible with gas injections, a fast high pressure eddy current driven valve, a high voltage power supply and a gas handling system providing six supply lines for pure and mixed noble and flammable gases (Ar, Ne, Kr, D{sub 2}, etc.). The valve throughput varies with the injection pressure and gas type (efficiency – injected/charged gas 50–97%); the maximum injected amount of gas is approximately 4.6 kPa m{sup 3} (at maximum system pressure of 5.0 MPa).

  16. A new Disruption Mitigation System for deuterium–tritium operation at JET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kruezi, Uron; Jachmich, Stefan; Koslowski, Hans Rudolf; Lehnen, Michael; Brezinsek, Sebastijan; Matthews, Guy

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A Disruption Mitigation System based on massive gas injections has been designed. • The DMS has been installed at the JET-tokamak for routine machine protection. • The DMS is capable of a throughput of up to 4.6 kPa m"3. • The new DMS is compatible with the deuterium–tritium operation at JET. - Abstract: Disruptions, the fast accidental losses of plasma current and stored energy in tokamaks, represent a significant risk to the mechanical structure as well as the plasma facing components of reactor-scale fusion facilities like ITER. At JET, the tokamak experiment closest to ITER in terms of operating parameters and size, massive gas injection has been established as a disruption mitigation method. As a “last resort” measure it reduces thermal and electromagnetic loads during disruptions which can potentially have a serious impact on the beryllium and tungsten plasma-facing materials of the main chamber and divertor. For the planned deuterium–tritium experiments, a new Disruption Mitigation System (DMS) has been designed and installed and is presented in this article. The new DMS at JET consists of an all metal gate valve compatible with gas injections, a fast high pressure eddy current driven valve, a high voltage power supply and a gas handling system providing six supply lines for pure and mixed noble and flammable gases (Ar, Ne, Kr, D_2, etc.). The valve throughput varies with the injection pressure and gas type (efficiency – injected/charged gas 50–97%); the maximum injected amount of gas is approximately 4.6 kPa m"3 (at maximum system pressure of 5.0 MPa).

  17. Tritium metabolism in rat tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, H.

    1982-01-01

    As part of a series of studies designed to evaluate the relative radiotoxicity of various tritiated compounds, metabolism of tritium in rat tissues was studied after administration of tritiated water, leucine, thymidine, and glucose. The distribution and retention of tritium varied widely, depending on the chemical compound administered. Tritium introduced as tritiated water behaved essentially as body water and became uniformly distributed among the tissues. However, tritium administered as organic compounds resulted in relatively high incorporation into tissue constituents other than water, and its distribution differed among the various tissues. Moreover, the excretion rate of tritium from tissues was slower for tritiated organic compounds than for tritiated water. Administrationof tritiated organic compounds results in higher radiation doses to the tissues than does administration of tritiated water. Among the tritiated compounds examined, for equal radioactivity administered, leucine gave the highest radiation dose, followed in turn by thymidine, glucose, and water. (author)

  18. Radiation protection with consumer products containing gaseous tritium light sources; Strahlenschutz bei Konsumguetern mit Tritium-Gaslichtquellen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rahders, Erio; Haeusler, Uwe [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, Berlin (Germany)

    2017-08-01

    Consumer products containing gaseous tritium light sources (GTLS) were examined with respect to their radiological safety potential regarding leak tightness or accidents. The maximum tritium leakage rate of 2.7 Bq/d determined from experimental testing is well below the criterion for leak tightness of sealed radioactive sources in DIN 25426-4. In order to investigate the incorporation of tritium due to contact with consumer products, 2 scenarios were reviewed; the correct use of a tritium watch and the accident scenario with a keyring.

  19. Calculation of tritium release from reactor's stack

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akhadi, M.

    1996-01-01

    Method for calculation of tritium release from nuclear to environment has been discussed. Part of gas effluent contain tritium in form of HTO vapor released from reactor's stack was sampled using silica-gel. The silica-gel was put in the water to withdraw HTO vapor absorbed by silica-gel. Tritium concentration in the water was measured by liquid scintillation counter of Aloka LSC-703. Tritium concentration in the gas effluent and total release of tritium from reactor's stack during certain interval time were calculated using simple mathematic formula. This method has examined for calculation of tritium release from JRR-3M's stack of JAERI, Japan. From the calculation it was obtained the value of tritium release as much as 4.63 x 10 11 Bq during one month. (author)

  20. Tritium production and processing in a Tokamak reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leger, D.

    1986-09-01

    Important aspects of the tritium system in Tokamak reactors that have to be controlled are overviewed in this paper. The doubling time is one of them, that is to say the time required to produce, in addition to the tritium burned enough tritium to be able to supply the initial tritium inventory. Another one is the tritium permeation through walls. In addition to the permeation phenomena, large tritium inventories are trapped in the reactor structural material. Finally, the different atmospheres of halls, etc.., that can be contaminated with tritium, have to be reprocessed

  1. Analysis of the separation of protium from blanket tritium-product streams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Misra, B.; Maroni, V.A.

    1981-07-01

    The case is considered in which the blanket product stream has been purified to the point where only protium, tritium, and a small quantity of deuterium remain. A cryogenic distillation cascade concept developed specifically to handle this enrichment problem is shown. The concept is based on a series of distillation columns and equilibrators capable of producing a protium-rich stream containing less than 1000 appm T and a tritium-rich stream containing less than 2000 appm H. It is envisioned that both of these streams could be blended with streams of comparable composition in the mainstream position of the fuel cycle without further processing. The computational analysis of the cascade was based on a fixed arrangement of columns and equilibrators and a fixed number of theoretical plates per columns, since these features are less easily varied in an actual system than reflux ratios and flow rates. In order to test the flexibility of this conceptual enruchment system to adjust to variations of the H/T ratio in the feed, H/T values of 0.333, 1.00, and 3.00 were investigated

  2. The organically bound tritium: an analyst vision

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansoborlo, E.; Baglan, N.

    2009-01-01

    The authors report the work of a work group on tritium analysis. They recall the different physical forms of tritium: gas (HT, hydrogen-tritium), water vapour (HTO or tritiated water) or methane (CH3T), but also in organic compounds (OBT, organically bound tritium) which are either exchangeable or non-exchangeable. They evoke measurement techniques and methods, notably to determine the tritium volume activity. They discuss the possibilities to analyse and distinguish exchangeable and non-exchangeable OBTs

  3. Tritium Issues in Next Step Devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    C.H. Skinner; G. Federici

    2001-09-05

    Tritium issues will play a central role in the performance and operation of next-step deuterium-tritium (DT) burning plasma tokamaks and the safety aspects associated with tritium will attract intense public scrutiny. The orders-of-magnitude increase in duty cycle and stored energy will be a much larger change than the increase in plasma performance necessary to achieve high fusion gain and ignition. Erosion of plasma-facing components will scale up with the pulse length from being barely measurable on existing machines to centimeter scale. Magnetic Fusion Energy (MFE) devices with carbon plasma-facing components will accumulate tritium by co-deposition with the eroded carbon and this will strongly constrain plasma operations. We report on a novel laser-based method to remove co-deposited tritium from carbon plasma-facing components in tokamaks. A major fraction of the tritium trapped in a co-deposited layer during the deuterium-tritium (DT) campaign on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) was released by heating with a scanning laser beam. This technique offers the potential for tritium removal in a next-step DT device without the use of oxidation and the associated deconditioning of the plasma-facing surfaces and expense of processing large quantities of tritium oxide. The operational lifetime of alternative materials such as tungsten has significant uncertainties due to melt layer loss during disruptions. Production of dust and flakes will need careful monitoring and minimization, and control and accountancy of the tritium inventory will be critical issues. Many of the tritium issues in Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) are similar to MFE, but some, for example those associated with the target factory, are unique to IFE. The plasma-edge region in a tokamak has greater complexity than the core due to lack of poloidal symmetry and nonlinear feedback between the plasma and wall. Sparse diagnostic coverage and low dedicated experimental run time has hampered the

  4. Tritium Issues in Next Step Devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    C.H. Skinner; G. Federici

    2001-01-01

    Tritium issues will play a central role in the performance and operation of next-step deuterium-tritium (DT) burning plasma tokamaks and the safety aspects associated with tritium will attract intense public scrutiny. The orders-of-magnitude increase in duty cycle and stored energy will be a much larger change than the increase in plasma performance necessary to achieve high fusion gain and ignition. Erosion of plasma-facing components will scale up with the pulse length from being barely measurable on existing machines to centimeter scale. Magnetic Fusion Energy (MFE) devices with carbon plasma-facing components will accumulate tritium by co-deposition with the eroded carbon and this will strongly constrain plasma operations. We report on a novel laser-based method to remove co-deposited tritium from carbon plasma-facing components in tokamaks. A major fraction of the tritium trapped in a co-deposited layer during the deuterium-tritium (DT) campaign on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) was released by heating with a scanning laser beam. This technique offers the potential for tritium removal in a next-step DT device without the use of oxidation and the associated deconditioning of the plasma-facing surfaces and expense of processing large quantities of tritium oxide. The operational lifetime of alternative materials such as tungsten has significant uncertainties due to melt layer loss during disruptions. Production of dust and flakes will need careful monitoring and minimization, and control and accountancy of the tritium inventory will be critical issues. Many of the tritium issues in Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) are similar to MFE, but some, for example those associated with the target factory, are unique to IFE. The plasma-edge region in a tokamak has greater complexity than the core due to lack of poloidal symmetry and nonlinear feedback between the plasma and wall. Sparse diagnostic coverage and low dedicated experimental run time has hampered the

  5. Modeling tritium transport in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, C.E. Jr.

    1986-01-01

    A model of tritium transport in the environment near an atmospheric source of tritium is presented in the general context of modeling material cycling in ecosystems. The model was developed to test hypotheses about the process involved in tritium cycling. The temporal and spatial scales of the model were picked to allow comparison to environmental monitoring data collected in the vicinity of the Savannah River Plant. Initial simulations with the model showed good agreement with monitoring data, including atmospheric and vegetation tritium concentrations. The model can also simulate values of tritium in vegetation organic matter if the key parameter distributing the source of organic hydrogen is varied to fit the data. However, because of the lack of independent conformation of the distribution parameter, there is still uncertainty about the role of organic movement of tritium in the food chain, and its effect on the dose to man

  6. Tritium behavior in an aquatic ecosystem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komatsu, K.

    1982-01-01

    Tritium behavior in aquatic organisms through a model food chain was investigated. In this model food chain, tritium in water reaches bacteria or Japanese killifish via diatoms and brine shrimps. Tritium accumulation in these organisms as organic bound form was expressed as the R value which is defined as the ratio of tritium specific activity in lyophilized organisms (μCi/gH) to that in water (μCi/gH). The maximum R values were 0.5 in diatoms: Chaetoceros gracilis, 0.2 in bacteria: Escherichia coli, 0.5 in brine shrimps: Artemia salina, and 0.32 in Japanese killifish: Oryzias latipes under the growing condition in which tritium accumulation was due to tritium in tritiated water and not tritiated foods. Brine shrimps and Japanese killifish were grown from larve to adult in tritiated sea water and were fed on tritiated foods (model food chain). Their R values were 0.70 and 0.67, respectively. Bacteria, which grew in tritiated water by adding the hydrolysate of tritiated brine shrimps, showed a maximum R value at 0.32. The R values of each organ of Japanese killifish and of DNA and the nucleotides purified from brine shrimps growing in tritiated water with or without tritiated food were measured to estimate the tritium distribution in the body or various molecules of the organisms. These results did not indicate concentration of tritium in specific organs or compounds. The changes of specific activity of tritium in these organisms were measured when they were transferred to non-tritiated water. These retention of tritium was not only different among the tissues but also depended on whether or not the organisms were reared with tritiated foods. (author)

  7. Tritium forms discrimination in ryegrass under constant tritium exposure: From seed germination to seedling autotrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renard, H; Maro, D; Le Dizès, S; Escobar-Gutiérrez, A; Voiseux, C; Solier, L; Hébert, D; Rozet, M; Cossonnet, C; Barillot, R

    2017-10-01

    Uncertainties remain regarding the fate of atmospheric tritium after it has been assimilated in grasslands (ryegrass) in the form of TFWT (Tissue Free Water Tritium) or OBT (Organically Bound Tritium). One such uncertainty relates to the tritium forms discrimination during transfer from TFWT to OBT resulting from photosynthesis (OBT photo ), corresponding to the OBT photo /TFWT ratio. In this study, the OBT/TFWT ratio is determined by experiments in the laboratory using a ryegrass model and hydroponic cultures, with constant activity of tritium in the form of tritiated water (denoted as HTO) in the "water" compartment (liquid HTO) and "air" compartment (HTO vapour in the air). The OBT photo /TFWT ratio and the exchangeable OBT fraction are measured for three parts of the plant: the leaf, seed and root. Plant growth is modelled using dehydrated biomass measurements taken over time in the laboratory and integrating physiological functions of the plant during the first ten days after germination. The results suggest that there is no measurable discrimination of tritium in the plant organic matter produced by photosynthesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Long-term efficacy of an ergonomics program that includes patient-handling devices on reducing musculoskeletal injuries to nursing personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garg, Arun; Kapellusch, Jay M

    2012-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term efficacy of an ergonomics program that included patient-handling devices in six long-term care facilities (LTC) and one chronic care hospital (CCH). Patient handling is recognized as a major source of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among nursing personnel, and several studies have demonstrated effectiveness of patient-handling devices in reducing those MSDs. However, most studies have been conducted in a single facility, for a short period, and/or without a comprehensive ergonomics program. Patient-handling devices along with a comprehensive ergonomics program was implemented in six LTC facilities and one CCH. Pre- and postintervention injury data were collected for 38.9 months (range = 29 to 54 months) and 51.2 months (range = 36 to 60 months), respectively. Postintervention patient-handling injuries decreased by 59.8% (rate ratio [RR] = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.28, 0.49], p nursing staff were fairly low. A vast majority of patients found the devices comfortable and safe. Longer transfer times with the use of devices was not an issue. Implementation of patient-handling devices along with a comprehensive program can be effective in reducing MSDs among nursing personnel. Strategies to expand usage of patient-handling devices in most health care settings should be explored.

  9. Tritium extraction technologies and DEMO requirements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Demange, D., E-mail: david.demange@kit.edu [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Technical Physics, Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Antunes, R.; Borisevich, O.; Frances, L. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Technical Physics, Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Rapisarda, D. [Laboratorio Nacional de Fusión, EURATOM-CIEMAT, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Santucci, A. [ENEA for EUROfusion, Via E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Roma (Italy); Utili, M. [ENEA CR Brasimone, 40032 Camugnano, BO (Italy)

    2016-11-01

    Highlights: • We detail the R&D plan for tritium technology of the European DEMO breeding blanket. • We study advanced and efficient extraction techniques to improve tritium management. • We consider inorganic membranes and catalytic membrane reactor for solid blankets. • We consider permeator against vacuum and vacuum sieve tray for liquid blankets. - Abstract: The conceptual design of the tritium extraction system (TES) for the European DEMO reactor is worked out in parallel for four different breeding blankets (BB) retained by EUROfusion. The TES design has to be tackled in an integrated manner optimizing the synergy with the directly interfacing inner fuel cycle, while minimizing the tritium permeation into the coolant. Considering DEMO requirements, it is most likely that only advanced technologies will be suitable for the tritium extraction systems of the BB. This paper overviews the European work programme for R&D on tritium technology for the DEMO BB, summaries the general first outcomes, and details the specific and comprehensive R&D program to study experimentally immature but promising technologies such as vacuum sieve tray or permeator against vacuum for tritium extraction from PbLi, and advanced inorganic membranes and catalytic membrane reactor for tritium extraction from He. These techniques are simple, fully continuous, likely compact with contained energy consumption. Several European Laboratories are joining their efforts to deploy several new experimental setups to accommodate the tests campaigns that will cover small scale experiments with tritium and inactive medium scale tests so as to improve the technology readiness level of these advanced processes.

  10. Tritium compatibility of alumina and Fosterite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coffin, D.O.

    1979-09-01

    Many pressure measurements are required to control processing of the fuel gases associated with fusion power reactors. Since most pressure transducers respond to changes in pressure sensitive electrical parameters, insulators will be required to withstand chronic exposures to concentrated tritium. For this investigation samples of alumina and Fosterite were exposed to concentrated tritium gas for 11 weeks. Gas phase impurities were then analyzed for clues that would indicate decomposition of the exposed materials. The only gaseous impurity resulting from these tritium exposures was tritio-methane, which is always produced when tritium is stored in stainless steel containers. There was no evidence that either alumina or Fosterite decomposed in the presence of tritium.

  11. Disposal of tritium-exposed metal hydrides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nobile, A.; Motyka, T.

    1991-01-01

    A plan has been established for disposal of tritium-exposed metal hydrides used in Savannah River Site (SRS) tritium production or Materials Test Facility (MTF) R ampersand D operations. The recommended plan assumes that the first tritium-exposed metal hydrides will be disposed of after startup of the Solid Waste Disposal Facility (SWDF) Expansion Project in 1992, and thus the plan is consistent with the new disposal requiremkents that will be in effect for the SWDF Expansion Project. Process beds containing tritium-exposed metal hydride powder will be disposed of without removal of the powder from the bed; however, disposal of tritium-exposed metal hydride powder that has been removed from its process vessel is also addressed

  12. The organic tritium in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirchmann, R.

    1979-01-01

    Sources, organization process, and biological availability of organic tritium released in the environment, transfer of organic tritium in the environment from methane or soil to plants and from food to mammals, transfer of tritium in aquatic ecosystems, and dose to man resulting of the ingestion of tritiated food were reviewed and discussed. Some data about transfer of organic tritium in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems reported by literatures were summarized and were supplied with recent data on biological accumulation of organic tritium in the food chain. It was stressed that more research must be done in future because data available were still insufficient. Last, some research programs in progress or planned were stated. (Tsunoda, M.)

  13. Workshop on tritium safety and environmental effects, October 15--17, 1990, Aiken, South Carolina: Session summaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, C.E. Jr.

    1991-01-01

    A meeting was held on October 15, 16, 17, 1990 to discuss the state of tritium safety and environmental effects. The meeting was organized with the help of the International Energy Agency planning committee consisting of K. Steinmetz, Y. Seki, G. Nardella, and G. Vivian. Representative of tritium production facilities and heavy water reactor power production were also involved. The meeting was organized to address seven topics in tritium safety that were thought to require further work. The topics were: (1) materials science, (2) environmental models, (3) environmental model validation, (4) tritiated organic compounds, (5) human dosimetry, (6) tritium sampling and measurement, and (7) long-term environmental databases

  14. Hippocampal Focal Knockout of CBP Affects Specific Histone Modifications, Long-Term Potentiation, and Long-Term Memory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, Ruth M; Malvaez, Melissa; Kramar, Eniko; Matheos, Dina P; Arrizon, Abraham; Cabrera, Sara M; Lynch, Gary; Greene, Robert W; Wood, Marcelo A

    2011-01-01

    To identify the role of the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) CREB-binding protein (CBP) in neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus during memory formation, we examine the effects of a focal homozygous knockout of CBP on histone modifications, gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and long-term memory. We show that CBP is critical for the in vivo acetylation of lysines on histones H2B, H3, and H4. CBP's homolog p300 was unable to compensate for the loss of CBP. Neurons lacking CBP maintained phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB, yet failed to activate CREB:CBP-mediated gene expression. Loss of CBP in dorsal CA1 of the hippocampus resulted in selective impairments to long-term potentiation and long-term memory for contextual fear and object recognition. Together, these results suggest a necessary role for specific chromatin modifications, selectively mediated by CBP in the consolidation of memories. PMID:21508930

  15. Behavior of tritium in the environment. Proceedings series

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-01-01

    Fifty papers are presented in these proceedings. Individual items are being entered onto the data base. The papers are grouped into seven sections for purposes of continuity. These sections include: distribution of tritium (7 papers); evaluation of future discharges (3 papers); measurement of tritium (3 papers); tritium in the aquatic environment (10 papers); tritium in the terrestrial environment (13 papers); tritium in man (8 papers); and monitoring of tritium (6 papers). (ERB)

  16. Tritium behaviour in higher plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guenot, J.

    1984-05-01

    Vine grapes and potato seedlings have been exposed in situ to tritiated water vapor and 14 C labeled carbon dioxide. Leaves sampling was done during and after the exposition. Measurements allowed to distinguish the three forms of tritium in leaves, i.e. tissue free water tritium (TFWT) and organically bound tritium (OBT), in exchangeable position or not. The results lead to a description of the dynamical behaviour of tritium between these three compartments. It has been shown that 20% of organically bound hydrogen is readily exchangeable thus being in permanent isotopic equilibium with tissue free water. Moreover, the activity of nonexchangeable OBT appears to be strongly related to the organic 14 C, which shows that photosynthesis is responsible of tritium incorporation in organic nonexchangeable position, and occurs with a 20% discrimination in favor of protium. In contrast with the other two compartments, this fixation is almost irreversible, which is a fact of importance from a radiological point of view [fr

  17. Tritium in the food chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koenig, L.A.

    1988-01-01

    Tritium is a hydrogen isotope taking part in the global hydrogen cycle as well as in all metabolic processes. The resultant problems with respect to the food chain are summarized briefly with emphasis on 'organically bound tritium'. However, only a small number of the numerous publications on this topic can be taken into consideration. Publications describing experiments under defined conditions are reported, thus allowing a semiempirical interpretation to be made. Tritium activity measurements of food grown in the vicinity of the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center have been carried out. A list of the results is given. A dose assessment is performed under simplifying assumptions. Even when the organically bound tritium is taken into account, a radiation exposure of less than 1% of that of K-40 is obtained under these conditions. To avoid misinterpretation, the specific activity (Bq H-3/g H) of water-bound and organically bound tritium has to be considered separately. (orig.) [de

  18. Improving tritium exposure reconstructions using accelerator mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Love, A.H.; Hunt, J.R.; Vogel, J.S.; Knezovich, J.P.

    2004-01-01

    Direct measurement of tritium atoms by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) enables rapid low-activity tritium measurements from milligram-sized samples and permits greater ease of sample collection, faster throughput, and increased spatial and/or temporal resolution. Because existing methodologies for quantifying tritium have some significant limitations, the development of tritium AMS has allowed improvements in reconstructing tritium exposure concentrations from environmental measurements and provides an important additional tool in assessing the temporal and spatial distribution of chronic exposure. Tritium exposure reconstructions using AMS were previously demonstrated for a tree growing on known levels of tritiated water and for trees exposed to atmospheric releases of tritiated water vapor. In these analyses, tritium levels were measured from milligram-sized samples with sample preparation times of a few days. Hundreds of samples were analyzed within a few months of sample collection and resulted in the reconstruction of spatial and temporal exposure from tritium releases. Although the current quantification limit of tritium AMS is not adequate to determine natural environmental variations in tritium concentrations, it is expected to be sufficient for studies assessing possible health effects from chronic environmental tritium exposure. (orig.)

  19. Improving tritium exposure reconstructions using accelerator mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, J. R.; Vogel, J. S.; Knezovich, J. P.

    2010-01-01

    Direct measurement of tritium atoms by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) enables rapid low-activity tritium measurements from milligram-sized samples and permits greater ease of sample collection, faster throughput, and increased spatial and/or temporal resolution. Because existing methodologies for quantifying tritium have some significant limitations, the development of tritium AMS has allowed improvements in reconstructing tritium exposure concentrations from environmental measurements and provides an important additional tool in assessing the temporal and spatial distribution of chronic exposure. Tritium exposure reconstructions using AMS were previously demonstrated for a tree growing on known levels of tritiated water and for trees exposed to atmospheric releases of tritiated water vapor. In these analyses, tritium levels were measured from milligram-sized samples with sample preparation times of a few days. Hundreds of samples were analyzed within a few months of sample collection and resulted in the reconstruction of spatial and temporal exposure from tritium releases. Although the current quantification limit of tritium AMS is not adequate to determine natural environmental variations in tritium concentrations, it is expected to be sufficient for studies assessing possible health effects from chronic environmental tritium exposure. PMID:14735274

  20. Medical Isotope Production With The Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) Facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buckner, M.; Cappiello, M.; Pitcher, E.; O'Brien, H.

    1998-01-01

    In order to meet US tritium needs to maintain the nuclear weapons deterrent, the Department of Energy (DOE) is pursuing a dual track program to provide a new tritium source. A record of decision is planned for late in 1998 to select either the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) or the Commercial Light Water Reactor (CLWR) as the technology for new tritium production in the next century. To support this decision, an APT Project was undertaken to develop an accelerator design capable of producing 3 kg of tritium per year by 2007 (START I requirements). The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) was selected to lead this effort with Burns and Roe Enterprises, Inc. (BREI) / General Atomics (GA) as the prime contractor for design, construction, and commissioning of the facility. If chosen in the downselect, the facility will be built at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and operated by the SRS Maintenance and Operations (M ampersand O) contractor, the Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC), with long-term technology support from LANL. These three organizations (LANL, BREI/GA, and WSRC) are working together under the direction of the APT National Project Office which reports directly to the DOE Office of Accelerator Production which has program authority and responsibility for the APT Project