Development of a Remotely Maintained, High Temperature Vacuum Extraction Furnace for the Tritium Extraction Facility

Conference · Tue Feb 06 00:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:774481

Teese, G D

Future production of tritium for use in US nuclear weapons will be accomplished by irradiation of Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods (TPBARs) in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The TPBARs will be subsequently shipped to the Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) for processing. The TPBAR outside tube and end fittings are constructed of stainless steel, and become activated during irradiation. In order to allow workers to safely process the irradiated TPBARs, remote handling is being planned for the TEF. A key step in the tritium extraction process is the removal of the tritium from the TPBARs in a high temperature, vacuum extraction process.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• OSTI ID: 774481
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-2000-00516; TRN: US0100898
• Resource Relation: Conference: 9th Topical Meeting on Robotics and Remote Systems, Seattle, WA (US), 03/04/2001--03/08/2001; Other Information: PBD: 6 Feb 2001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
VACUUM FURNACES
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
STAINLESS STEELS
TRITIUM
EXTRACTION
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
DESIGN