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Parameters Important in the Oxidation of Tritium at a Stainless Steel Surface

P. A. Finn, E. H. Van Deventer

Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 14 / Number 2P2A / September 1988 / Pages 783-790

Tritium Properties and Interactions with Material / Proceedings of the Third Topical Meeting on Tritium Technology in Fission, Fusion and Isotopic Applications (Toronto, Ontario, Canada, May 1-6, 1988) / dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST88-A25230

The heterogeneous reaction between oxygen/helium gas, tritium and stainless steel was studied at the back surface of a stainless steel tube. The yield of tritiated water was determined as a function of oxygen concentration, tritium concentration, protium concentration, flow rate, and temperature. This report describes the results for two sets of runs done at 550°C with and without 15 ppm protium in the oxygen/helium gas. At oxygen concentrations of 40 ppm, the presence of excess protium in the oxygen/ helium produced a reduced yield of tritiated water. At oxygen concentrations >1000 ppm, the two yields were equivalent, 98%.