Experiments on a Ceramic Electrolysis Cell and a Palladium Diffuser at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly

A ceramic electrolysis cell and a palladium diffuser have been developed in Japan and tested with tritium at the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, to test their feasibility as possible upgrades for the fuel cleanup system (FCU). The ceramic electrolysis cell, made of stabilized zirconia, was operated at 630°C for an extended period with a mixture of 3% T₂O in He carrier gas in a circulation system with an oxidizing catalyst bed. The palladium diffuser was tested with pure tritium gas, circulated at 280°C, to verify the compatibility of the alloy with tritium, since the ³He produced in the metal could cause degradation. The isotopic effects were also measured for both devices.