An improved method for the nondestructive assay of the tritium content of glass microballon laser fusion targets

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Fusion Energy; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01053136· OSTI ID:5526010

Halpern, G M

In laser fusion experiments employing deuterium-tritium filled microballoons, it is essential that the fill pressure be known for each target prior to its use. While most targets retain their original fill pressure (5-50 atm) indefinitely when stored at liquid nitrogen temperature, some leakage has been observed in random samples. Since we have found that tritium and deuterium leak from glass microballoons at essentially the same rates, a measurement of only the tritium content is sufficient to characterize completely the target fill. The tritium content is determined by measuring the flux of BETA particles (from the decay of tritium) which emerge from the target wall. To relate this flux to the target fill pressure, a model has been developed based upon a Monte Carlo simulation of the transport of the BETA particles through the target's gaseous interior and glass wall. The model is incorporated into an accurate and self-consistent procedure for the nondestructive determination of the tritium content of laser fusion targets with a wide range of radii and wall thicknesses. This paper contains a detailed description of the model, and its implementation for assaying the fuel content in such targets. Also included is a discussion of how to compensate for the counts due to tritium trapped in the shell material. This correction is especially important when the target walls are thicker than 3 ..mu..m when the shell diameters lie in the range 50-300 ..mu..m. Limitations of this procedure, associated errors, and general guidelines are provided in order to indicate when this technique may be preferable over alternate methods, such as x-ray counting.

• Research Organization: Exxon Research and Engineering Co., Florham Park, New Jersey
• OSTI ID: 5526010
• Journal Information: J. Fusion Energy; (United States), Journal Name: J. Fusion Energy; (United States) Vol. 2:6; ISSN JFEND
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

060201* -- Fusion Fuels-- Fabrication & Testing-- (1980-1987)
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BETA DECAY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA PARTICLES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CONFINEMENT
DECAY
DEUTERIUM
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
IMPACT FUSION
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
ION BEAM TARGETS
ISOTOPES
LASER TARGETS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR REACTION ANALYSIS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
RADIOISOTOPES
SIMULATION
STABLE ISOTOPES
TARGETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES