Tritium research and technology facilities at the JRC-ISPRA

Abstract

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 (see section 3). 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.