HyPer-QuarCh II: A laboratory-scale device for hydrogen isotopes permeation experiments

Abstract

In a D-T fusion reactor, the correct estimation of the tritium inventory and permeation fluxes towards the coolant and to the external environment is a crucial issue for the reactor licensing. Within this frame, a fast and reliable sensor for the online measurement of hydrogen isotopes concentration in the breeder is therefore necessary. At ENEA Brasimone research centre, Italy, the development, qualification and characterization of hydrogen isotopes permeation sensors (HPS) were carried out since the early 2000s. A new experimental laboratory-scale device, named Hyper-Quarch II (Hydrogen Permeation Quartz Chamber), was developed on the basis of the experience gained in the past experimental campaigns. This device is characterised by an upgraded test section in quartz and new instrumentation equipment, and will be used to test advanced hydrogen permeation sensor in both gas phase and in stagnant LiPb eutectic alloy (15.7 at.% Li). Hydrogen or deuterium will be adopted instead of tritium to simulate the operative conditions of the Water-Cooled Lithium-Lead (WCLL) Test Blanket Module of ITER and the WCLL Breeding Blanket of the European DEMO reactor. Moreover, the upgrade was performed to also allow the measurement of the Sieverts’ constant of hydrogen or deuterium solubilised in the LiPb with absorption or desorption techniques in a temperature range from 300 to 550∘C and pressure range 0.1 to 100 hPa.