Removing tritium from cool trap of liq. metal cooled reactor - resulting in final mixing and storage of tritium water with cement forming concete

摘要

Process is for removal of unwanted tritium from the cool trap (1) of a liq. metal cooled nuclear reactor. The cool trap (1) is heated directly by a heater (2), and by inert gas that has already been heated passing through it, to a temp. above that at which hydrides dissociate. The hydrogen (including tritium), so produced, is collected by an inert gas cycle (6) and fed to the prim. side of a permeator (4). In the permeator (7), hydrogen ions diffuse across into the sec. cycle (15) which comprises a circulating acidic gas. Hydrogen and acid react in a discharge chamber (17) to produce water. This water including the tritium ions in then used to produce concrete, in which form the tritium is then stored. USE/ADVANTAGE - The liq. metal circulating in a reactor contains traces of hydrogen and acid, these react with the metal to produce hydrides. The unwanted components are removed by chilling of the cool trap (1). Over a period of time radioactive tritium builds up and impairs operation of the cool trap. Periodically the tritium. Advantageously, by use of the permeator, only hydrogen ions (including tritium) are removed from the circulating inert gas. Therefore no unwanted radioactive elements of much longer half life are removed.