Efficient HTO reduction using a Zr-Fe-Mn alloy

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:196960

Ghezzi, F; Venkataramani, N; Bonizzoni, G ^[1]

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1. EURATOM/ENEA/CNR Association, Milano (Italy); and others

Tritiated water is expected to be produced during the operation of DT burning machines via several routes; the isotopic mixing of hydrogen and tritium in water molecules within the fuel handling systems, tritiated water production during the processing of tritiated waste steams and contaminated surface-air interactions to name a few. Water reduction with a concomitant capturing of the tritium labeled gas offers a viable method of reducing radiological hazards and minimizing tritium emissions to the environment. Among the different techniques proposed for converting tritiated water to tritium gas, reduction on metal beds presents a technologically simple efficient and safe option. In general two factors hamper the attractiveness of this approach, the quantity of water which can be processed per mole of alloy, that is to say the alloy utilization factor and the residual tritium content within the spent alloy which is eventually destined for radioactive waste storage. Zr(Fe{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 0.5})2, an alloy commercially identified as St 909, appears attractive for HTO reduction in both respects. St 909 exhibits a high hydrogen equilibrium pressure which implies facile HT recovery from the alloy bulk to extremely low concentrations. Furthermore the presence of manganese within the alloy suggests the possibility of enhanced chemical reactivity with water vapor and high alloy utilization factors.

• OSTI ID: 196960
• Report Number(s): CONF-940664--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
IRON ALLOYS
MANGANESE ALLOYS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
REDUCTION
TRITIUM OXIDES
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS