Vacuum pumping for controlled thermonuclear reactors

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7178012

Watson, J S; Fisher, P W

Thermonuclear reactors impose unique vacuum pumping problems involving very high pumping speeds, handling of hazardous materials (tritium), extreme cleanliness requirements, and quantitative recovery of pumped materials. Two principal pumping systems are required for a fusion reactor, a main vacuum system for evacuating the torus and a vacuum system for removing unaccelerated deuterium from neutral beam injectors. The first system must pump hydrogen isotopes and helium while the neutral beam system can operate by pumping only hydrogen isotopes (perhaps only deuterium). The most promising pumping techniques for both systems appear to be cryopumps, but different cryopumping techniques can be considered for each system. The main vacuum system will have to include cryosorption pumps cooled to 4.2/sup 0/K to pump helium, but the unburned deuterium-tritium and other impurities could be pumped with cryocondensation panels (4.2/sup 0/K) or cryosorption panels at higher temperatures. Since pumping speeds will be limited by conductance through the ducts and thermal shields, the pumping performance for both systems will be similar, and other factors such as refrigeration costs are likely to determine the choice. The vacuum pumping system for neutral beam injectors probably will not need to pump helium, and either condensation or higher temperature sorption pumps can be used.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7178012
• Report Number(s): CONF-760631-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700209* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CRYOPUMPS
DEUTERIUM
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
IMPURITIES
ISOTOPES
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE
PUMPS
RADIOISOTOPES
REMOVAL
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TRITIUM
VACUUM PUMPS
VACUUM SYSTEMS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES