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Assessment of 3He Release from Uranium Tritide Bed Considering Cyclic Operation Using Empirical Models

Jae-Uk Lee, Dong-you Chung, Hyun-goo Kang, Min Ho Chang, Pil-Kap Jung

Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 80 / Number 3-4 / May 2024 / Pages 582-589

Research Article / dx.doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2023.2202302

Received:November 25, 2022
Accepted:April 10, 2023
Published:April 3, 2024

In this study, the amount of 3He release from a tritium-loaded depleted uranium bed considering long-term operation in the fusion fuel cycle is assessed using empirical models. Several works are surveyed to investigate the trend of 3He released from uranium tritide. The model for 3He release is developed consisting of two parts, i.e., the natural release model and the heating release model, based on experimental studies. The natural release model is validated by applying it to experimental data. The model is applied to cyclic and long-term operation scenarios to assess the amount of 3He in the headspace of the metal tritide bed. The results show that the 3He release after long-term maintenance can be significant and must be separated from tritium before supply to the fuel cycle. During plasma operation and short maintenance, it is shown that the 3He release is less significant, but further requirement consideration is needed for the 3He separation process.