Recent activities on tritium technologies of BA DEMO-R&D program in JAEA

Abstract

The R&D for tritium technologies to a demonstration reactor (DEMO) are planned to be carried out in the Broader Approach (BA) program in Japan by JAEA with Japanese universities: (1) tritium analysis technology; (2) basic tritium safety research; and (3) tritium durability test. The EU joins the discussions and assessment of the R&D results. As the recent activities on the tritium technologies of the BA program, a multi-purpose RI facility, where the above R&D subjects will be carried out, has been designed in detail. A preliminary safety study has also been carried out for the amount of tritium released to the environment and for the radiation dose of workers. The facility is now under construction at Rokkasho in Aomori. The main subjects of the R&D of tritium analysis are the technologies for real-time analysis for hydrogen isotopes, gas, liquid and solid (such as microGC and calorimeter). The materials of interest include F82H, SiC, ZrCo, solid and liquid advanced breeder and multipliers. In the tritium durability tests, organic materials and metals planned to be used in a DEMO plant are studied for the radiation and the corrosion damage. A series of preliminary studies for the above subjects has been started.