Failure rate data for glovebox components and cleanup systems at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly

Abstract

Fusion facility safety and reliability/availability analyses require accurate component failure rate information to provide meaningful results. While fission reactor operating experience data may be adequate for some types of components, there are some data needs that are fusion-specific, such as tritium fueling and handling system information. This paper summarizes data analysis of tritium glovebox confinement systems and an air detritiation system from the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. These analyses benefit fusion design work by highlighting weak areas in designs to allow for modifications and upgrades, making future designs more robust. The TSTA results are generally smaller failure rates than the information from other industries, thus showing one of the benefits of gathering these fusion-specific data.