Tritium - Science topic

Recent research has been conducted on the removal of retained fuel particles from the first wall surfaces in the EAST superconducting tokamak, by using direct-current Glow Discharge Cleaning (GDC) under strong magnetic field. The findings from these experiments reveal that GDC can operate in a toroidal field range of 0–2.5 T and achieve high fuel r...

Toward the application of inertial fusion energy, a comprehensive comparison of different fusion materials was made. Using the upgraded multi-fuel fusion package of the radiation-hydrodynamic code MULTI-IFE, datasets of fusion reactions for different fusion fuels were established. It was demonstrated that the D–³He reaction has the potential to ach...

The dynamic analysis of fusion power plant (FPP) fuel cycles highlights the challenge of achieving tritium self-sufficiency in future FPPs. While state-of-the-art fuel cycle models offer valuable insights into the necessary design parameters for attaining tritium self-sufficiency, none of these models currently consider the impact of tritium trappi...

Retention of hydrogen isotopes is a critical concern for operating fusion reactors as retained tritium both activates components and removes scarce fuel from the fuel cycle. Radiation-induced displacement damage in SiC influences the retention of hydrogen isotopes compared to pristine SiC. Deuterium retention in neutron irradiated high purity SiC h...

Karst aquifers in the Mediterranean region are crucial for water supply and agriculture but are increasingly threatened by climate change and overexploitation. The Jebel Zaghouan aquifer, historically significant for supplying Carthage and Tunis, serves as the focus of this study, which aims to evaluate its availability, quality, and vulnerability...

The two-dimensional edge plasma code SOLPS-ITER have been used to study the hydrogen isotope effect on the divertor detachment onset for hydrogen (H), deuterium (D), and tritium (T) based on EAST plasma conditions. Results prove that H with a lighter mass has a stronger ability to penetrate into the core plasma than D and T, resulting in a higher d...

The most sensitive direct neutrino mass searches today are based on measurement of the endpoint of the beta spectrum of tritium to infer limits on the mass of the unobserved recoiling neutrino. To avoid the smearing associated with the distribution of molecular final states in the T-He molecule, the next generation of these experiments will need to...

The JT-60SA research plan calls for a powerful Pellet Launching System capable of simultaneous plasma core fuelling and edge-localised mode (ELM) pacing control. Such experiments require a system delivering the pellets-mm size bodies of solid hydrogen-precisely and reliably. As part of the Broader Approach, a centrifuge based conceptual design has...

The management of hydrogen isotopes within a fusion reactor remains a key design issue, with many constraints concerning tritium. The fusion power plant should be self-sufficient with respect to its fuel, while the contamination of components and the releases outside the primary system should be limited. There is a need for versatile numerical tool...

The temporal dynamics of water ages provide crucial insights into hydrological processes and transport mechanisms, yet there remains a significant gap in quantifying water age variability across different temporal scales. This study utilizes a comprehensive dataset spanning 70 years of hydrological observations and tritium records (1953–2022) with...

Numerous enzymatic reactions involve hydrolysis, making water indispensable for sustaining life. Some water includes hydrogen isotopes, deuterium or tritium, with larger atomic weights. Heavy water consisting of deuterium is toxic to living organisms and induces cell death; however, the extent and underlying mechanisms of this toxicity remained elu...

El avance en las últimas décadas en el estudio de la terra sigillata hispánica ha permitido la combinación entre la caracterización arqueológica y arqueométrica, con la tecnológica y estadística, poniendo especial atención en el análisis de los sigilla correspondientes a las diferentes officinae que formaban parte de los complejos alfareros hispano...

El objetivo de este artículo es proponer una nueva interpretación de la banda epigráfica circular que aparece en un fragmento de cuenco de terra sigillata hispánica procedente del centro alfarero de La Cereceda (Arenzana de Arriba, La Rioja). Entendemos que el término forma ha de interpretarse como elemento de la fórmula jurídica ex forma, que sign...

On the path to a fusion pilot plant, Thea Energy plans to build Eos, a sub-breakeven, deuterium-deuterium, beam-target fusion, stellarator neutron source facility for producing tritium and other valuable radioisotopes. In this paper, a set of 1D plasma physics models are coupled and used to design the operating point of the facility and predict per...

Metal-catalyzed hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE) has become a valuable method for incorporating deuterium and tritium into organic molecules, with applications in a wide range of scientific fields. This study explores...

This paper presents a study on the dependence of the ion temperature stiffness on the plasma main ion isotope mass in JET ITER-like wall and C wall discharges. To this aim, a database of H, D and T shots is analyzed, including new dedicated shots, comparing experiments with lower and higher power injected by the NBI system. In order to characterize...

The distribution of helium isotopes in the upper kilometer of the water column along the GP15 section in the central Pacific reflects the large‐scale patterns of upwelling hydrothermal ³He in the tropics and sub‐polar gyre, tracing two important pathways whereby bottom water exits from the deep Pacific. Heavy noble gas saturation anomalies, particu...

In future fusion reactors, the first wall will be irradiated with hydrogen fuel (deuterium (D), tritium (T)) and helium (He) with low energies. In this work, the effects of He plasma irradiation on D permeation through tungsten (W) coated reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel were systematically investigated by performing plasma-driv...

In the 2023 experiment campaign, we measured ion cyclotron emission (ICE) signals on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), edge ICE excited by tritium ions. A fusion product derived from the deuterium–deuterium (D−D) fusion reaction, whose spectral peak matches the fundamental cyclotron frequency of the tritium ions (ωCT) in the...

Recent advancements in tritium separation technologies have significantly improved efficiency, particularly through the integration of vapor phase catalytic exchange (VPCE), liquid phase catalytic exchange (LPCE), and combined electrolysis catalytic exchange (CECE) methods. Combining these techniques overcomes individual limitations, enhancing sepa...

The detection of deuterium and tritium retention in fusion devices via optical emission spectroscopy (OES) faces significant challenges due to experimental limitations, particularly in resolving hydrogen isotope Balmer alpha lines (H α , D α , and T α ). In this study, we propose and evaluate the coupling of laser ablation and laser-induced desorpt...

Enriched lithium isotopes (6Li and 7Li) are essential in the nuclear energy industry, where 6Li is bombarded with neutrons to produce tritium for fusion reactions, while 7Li is used as a core coolant and pH regulator. Separation of 6Li and 7Li by electromigration is a promising method for producing enriched lithium isotopes that fulfill industrial...

Groundwater ages provides insight into recharge rates, flow velocities, and vulnerability to contaminants. The ability to predict groundwater ages based on more accessible parameters via Machine Learning (ML) would advance our ability to guide sustainable management of groundwater resources. In this study, ML models were trained and tested on a lar...

We analyzed the water‐soluble chemical composition of an 81.2‐m‐long ice core collected in 2019 from ∼ ${\sim} $6,000 m elevation on a south‐facing glacier in the Nepal Himalaya. The ice core chronology is based on variability in nitrate and calcium ions, which reveal an apparently seasonal periodicity (with winter maxima) throughout the core's len...

Anomalous transport of mixed deuterium–tritium plasma in the edge of magnetic fusion reactors is investigated using numerical solutions of resistive drift wave turbulence model equations, including finite Larmor radius effects, that are derived within the generalized Hasegawa–Wakatani framework. The anomalous cross field diffusivities of deuterium...

During the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident on March 11, 2011, radionuclides such as tritium were released into the environment across Japan, obscuring the natural background signal of tritium in precipitation. This anthropogenic component was rapidly washed out by precipitation according to measurements in Japan. However, the...

In recent years several publications have claimed that the retention of tritium (T) in the first wall armor material poses a limitation on when a fusion reactor becomes T-self-sufficient. While the prediction on wall retention therein are correct, the model applied to assess the T-self-sufficiency is based on wrong assumptions and thus, the importa...

In the pursuit of fusion power, achieving tritium self-sufficiency stands as a pivotal challenge. Tritium breeding within molten salts is a critical aspect of next-generation fusion reactors, yet experimental measurements of Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR) have remained elusive. Here we present the results of the Build A Better Yield blanket experimen...

Tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, is exceptionally rare and valuable. The safe storage, controlled release and efficient capture of tritium are subject to focused research in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. However, the application of an efficient tritium-getter material remains a critical challenge. Zr2Fe alloys exh...

This review explores molecular dynamics simulations for studying radiation damage in Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rod (TPBAR) materials, emphasizing the role of interatomic potentials in displacement cascades. Recent machine learning potentials (MLPs), trained on quantum data, enhance prediction accuracy over traditional models like EAM. We...

The achievement of thermal nuclear burn at the National Ignition Facility represents a significant milestone in the field of fusion science and engineering. This study uses the double-temperature model to investigate the degree of alpha particle-induced electron–ion temperature nonequilibrium and the final burn fraction in the inertial confinement...

Assessing groundwater residence time in aquifers of arid regions by analyzing natural radionuclides is crucial for predicting water contaminants, understanding groundwater system dynamics and ensuring sustainable water utilization. This study focuses on the evaluation of groundwater residence time in northeastern Saudi Arabia using tritium as a tra...

Motivated by the significance of modular symmetry in generating neutrino masses and flavor mixings, we apply the modular A4 symmetry in a 3+1 scheme of active–sterile neutrino mixings. Neutrino oscillation observables in the 3σ range are successfully reproduced through the vacuum expectation value of the modulus τ. We also study phenomenologies rel...

It is possible to build Helium-4 from Hydrogen-1 by adding only neutrons. The key step is that Tritium decays to Helium-3; thus, a particle that entered the nucleus as a neutron becomes a proton. The need to overcome the mutual repulsion of positively charged nuclei is thus avoided. Given a cheap enough neutron source, this method promises fusion w...

Understanding groundwater contamination processes in depleted aquifers is needed to improve their integrated management. The present study aims to understand how prevailing conditions in a depleting dendrit unconfined aquifer could affect the salinity and nitrate contamination. The depletion has caused a shift in our alluvial aquifer from dominant...

The basis for the safe extraction of mineral resources underground is good knowledge of the local and surrounding geological conditions and the activity of the nearby aquifers. Hydrogeological modelling in combination with dewatering of the aquifers above the coal and monitoring of the groundwater level in piezometers is of particular importance fo...

A fast neutral lithium beam has been used at JET for more than 30 years to measure profiles of electron density in the pedestal and scrape off layer. The diagnostic was not designed for tritium operation. In this paper, we describe the modifications which were required to allow operation in tritium (T) and deuterium–tritium (D-T) fuelled pulses at...

The Active Gas Handling System (AGHS) stores, supplies and re-processes tritium for the JET fusion experiment. The plant had not operated in this capacity in recent years and required upgrade and recommissioning to enable use during the latest JET tritium campaigns. Thousands of tritium transfers and operations have now been performed with over 1 k...

A typical dual-coolant lead lithium liquid blanket employs eutectic liquid lithium lead alloy as coolant and tritium breeder for Tokamak nuclear fusion reactor, and is responsible for transporting heat and tritium. The blanket is subjected to both strong magnetic field and strong radially non-uniform neutron volume heating. The flow of liquid metal...

This study focuses on the fault identification of the pneumatic bellows valve. This valve plays an essential role in regulating system pressure to ensure the smooth progress of the tritium removal process. To conduct research on the health status of the pneumatic bellows valve and to timely identify potential faults and anomalies, we developed a de...

Plain Language Summary In this study, we analyze tritium and helium‐3 (³He) data from 21 oceanographic expeditions conducted over 27 years to track the movement and speed of the Atlantic Layer—waters originating from the North Atlantic, found in the Arctic Ocean. The combined measurement of tritium and ³He acts as a “natural clock,” allowing us to...

The solubility of helium in liquid metals is a knowledge of fundamental importance in the design of the future nuclear fusion reactors, since the formation of helium bubbles inside the breeding blankets of the reactors can be a threat to the durability of the devices and, more importantly, to the efficiency of tritium recovery. In the present work...

Unique gas retention and transport characteristics of group V elements (V, Nb, Ta) have long attracted a significant interest, in particular among the nuclear fusion community. The nominally high hydrogen isotope permeability and diffusion at the expected operational temperatures, together with the negative activation energy for the solubility pres...

Preparing tritium permeation barrier (TPB) coating on the surface of structural materials can effectively alleviate tritium permeation in fusion reactor system. However, due to the existence of inevitable certain number of defects in TPB, there is still a gap between the commonly prepared TPB coatings and the requirements proposed by fusion reactor...

Ion mobility spectrometry is successfully used as a sensor technology for different applications. A feature of this method is that characteristic ion mobility spectra are obtained for each measurement rather than a sum signal. The spectra result from the different drift velocities of ions in a drift tube at atmospheric pressure. In this study, we i...

The construction, use, and maintenance of tritium‐related equipment will inevitably produce tritium‐containing radioactive waste gas, and the production of efficient catalysts for tritium removal remains a difficult problem. Herein, silicalite‐1 zeolite with entrapped Pt nanoclusters is skillfully post‐oxidized at an appropriate temperature, buildi...

Quantum computers have proven to be effective in simulating many quantum systems. Simulating nuclear processes and state preparation poses significant challenges, even for traditional supercomputers. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a complete simulation of a nuclear transition, including the preparation of both ground and first excited s...

Nuclear fusion is a great promise for the route toward clean, abundant, and sustainable energy, possibly solving the limits of contemporary resources. Yet, models for controlled fusion on Earth demand so much simulation: calculations into particle interaction and plasma behavior and even reaction dynamics that defy strict classical calculation. Qua...

Tritium (T) retention in plasma-facing materials (PFMs) raises significant radiological safety concerns and adversely affects the self-sustained burning of T in fusion reactors. Therefore, the removal of retained T from PFMs has become an urgent task. Hydrogen isotope (HI) exchange has proven to be an effective method for T removal. However, the mi...

The behaviour of impurities in fusion plasmas is of crucial importance for achieving sustained fusion reactions, and understanding similarities and differences between Deuterium (D) and Tritium (T) plasmas is needed to assess potential changes from DD to DT in ITER and future reactors. The first dimensionless and dimensional isotope identity experi...

Next generation tritium decay experiments to determine the absolute neutrino mass require high-precision measurements of $\beta$-decay electron energies close to the kinematic end point. To achieve this, the development of high phase-space density sources of atomic tritium is required, along with the implementation of methods to control the motion...

A trícium régóta használt, hasznos nyomjelző izotóp a légköri transzport, a felszíni és a felszín alatti vizek, valamint a globális víz-forgalom tanulmányozásához. Az elmúlt évtizedekben a tríciummérések alkalmazása jelentősen megnövekedett a vízkutatásban, hid-rológiában, meteorológiában, oceanográfiában. A tanulmány célja, hogy bemutassa a tríciu...

It has been reported that the {\alpha}-Al2O3, a promising tritium permeation barrier material for a fusion reactor, can be grown at low temperatures on the {\alpha}-Cr2O3 template, and that {\alpha}-Al2O3/{\alpha}-Cr2O3 composite films have more efficiently suppress the hydrogen isotope permeation than the single {\alpha}-Al2O3 film. In this study,...

Energetic charged particles generated by inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions encode information about the spatial morphology of the hot-spot and dense fuel during the time of peak fusion reactions. The knock-on deuteron imager (KoDI) was developed at the Omega Laser Facility to image these particles in order to diagnose low-mode asymmetrie...