Progress of Tritium Extraction and Measurement Methods Development from Liquid Breeder Blanket in Korea

To investigate tritium extraction technology for the helium-cooled molten lithium test blanket module, a tritium extraction method in the liquid breeder based on the gas-liquid contactor concept has been studied. Preliminary experimental investigations have been designed and prepared at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute to develop a measurement of tritium concentration and correlation of bubble diameter for stripping gases in the liquid breeder. An acryl vessel and a stainless chamber were manufactured to observe bubble behavior and to measure bubble size, respectively, with a photography method, and the experimental investigations will be performed in the near future. An annular capsule and a plate type made with very thin membrane walls with porous structure inside were developed to improve response time and operational capability for high pressure conditions, and a permeation sensor test device was manufactured to evaluate the proposed permeation sensors. The hydrogen extraction column has been constructed based on the conceptual design for the preliminary investigations, and the fundamental liquid breeding experiments are planned to obtain various experiences on the hydrogen extraction technology.