The JRC experimental program

Abstract

JRC-ETHEL has chosen as the principle objective of its research program the improvement of protection measures in facilities handling large amounts of tritium. Technically, this involves investigating and assessing tritium propagation modes and transfer pathways in materials, components, equipment, and process plants.

The experimental research work to be performed in ETHEL will basically aim at investigating:

• •Loss mechanisms by identifying physico-chemical parameters such as adsorption/desorption rates, permeation rates, leakages of materials for fusion reactors and the effects of potential remedies like permeation barriers under process-like conditions.

• •Multiple containment systems and fluid clean-up concepts under normal and accidental conditions.

• •Methods for solid waste handling, treatment, conditioning, and final disposal.

• •Techniques for tritium control, monitoring, and surveillance over the whole concentration range during both normal and accidental conditions and maintenance activities.

With the availability of two “climate chambers,” the small and large caissons of 5 and 350 m³ volume respectively, ETHEL is especially suited for benchmark and scale-up tests of many kinds of large gas volumes treatment system. This will help to close the gap between laboratory-scale results and plant-size design specifications and represents an important source of information for designers (NET, ITER) and regulatory authorities.