In-Situ Tritium Recovery from Li2O Irradiated in Fast Neutron Flux - BEATRIX-II Initial Results

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Abstract
The BEATRIX-II experiment in FFTF is an in-situ tritium recovery experiment to evaluate the tritium release characteristics of Li2O and its stability under fast neutron irradiation to extended burnups. This experiment includes two specimens: a thin annular ring specimen capable of temperature transients and a solid temperature gradient specimen. During the first 85 days of the operating cycle of the reactor, the tritium recovery rate of a temperature transient capsule was examined as a function of temperature, gas flow rate, gas composition and burnup. Temperature changes in the range from 500 to 650°C resulted in decreasing tritium inventory with increasing temperature. Lower gas flow rates resulted in slightly lower tritium recovery rates while gas composition changes affected the tritium recovery rate significantly more than either flow rate or temperature changes. Three different sweep gases were used: He-0.1% H2, He-0.01% H2, and pure He. Decreasing the amount of hydrogen in the sweep gas dec...