Tritium technologies and transport modelling: main outcomes from the European TBM Project

The tritium technologies and transport modelling play an essential role for the achievement of the TBM Programme scientific objectives. Tritium technologies deployed in TBS (Test Blanket System) can be divided in processing systems and measurement devices. In the current design of the European HCLL (Helium Cooled Lithium Lead) and HCPB (Helium Cooled Pebble Bed) TBS, tritium extraction from flowing Pb-16Li and tritium concentration in He are the most relevant tritium technologies under development. The optimization and integration of real time tritium concentration measurement devices in TBS is a complex task needed to keep under control the tritium concentration in the TBSs and to support their correct operation. For HCLL and HCPB-TBS application, the tritium concentration measurement devices have to operate in flowing Pb-16Li and in He in a wide range of operating conditions. In parallel with the activities on tritium technologies, an important effort has been spent in the last few years in developing tritium transport modelling capabilities, which is one of the most relevant objectives of the European TBM Programme. This paper first of all provides an overview on the most relevant and updated R&D and design results achieved in the above mentioned areas within the European TBM Project. Recent results on tritium inventory and permeation rate in HCLL-TBS, predicted by a 1-D dynamic system simulation code developed within the Ecosimpro platform, are presented and discussed in the part dealing with the TBS tritium transport modelling development. Considerations on DEMO relevancy are also given, particularly for the tritium processing systems as the change of scale from TBM to a breeding blanket for DEMO may impact their feasibility and performance.