SAND--qs-/aciLtc Tritium Retention in Tungsten Exposed to Intense Fluxes of 100 eV Tritons

Abstract Tungsten is a candidate material for ITER as well as other future magnetic fusion energy devices. Tungsten is well suited for certain hsion applications in that it has a high threshold for sputtering as well as a very high melting point. As with all materials to be used on the inside of a tokamak or similar device, there is a need to know the behavior of hydrogen isotopes embedded in the material. With this need in mind, the Tritium Plasma Experiment (TPE) has been used to examine the retention of tritium in tungsten exposed to very high fluxes of 100 eV tritons. Both tungsten and tungsten containing 1% lanthanum oxide were used in these experiments. Measurements were performed over the temperature range of 423 to 973 K. After exposure to the tritium plasma, the samples were transferred to an outgassing system containing an ionization chamber for detection of the released tritium. The samples were outgassed using linear ramps from room temperature up to 1473 K. Unlike most other materials exposed to energetic tritium, the tritium retention in tungsten reaches a maximum at intermediate temperatures with low retention at both high and low temperatures. For the very high triton fluences used (>lo25 T/m2), the fractional retention of the tritium was below 0.02% of the incident particles. This report presents not only the results of the tritium retention, but also includes the modeling of the results and the implication for ITER and other future fusion devices where tungsten is used. DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness. or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer. or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, m o mmendktion, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect thosc of the United States Government or any agency thereof

Deuterium accelerator experiments for APT.

Sandia National Laboratories in California initiated an experimental program to determine whether tritium retention in the tube walls and permeation through the tubes into the surrounding coolant water would be a problem for the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT), and to find ways to mitigate the problem, if it existed. Significant holdup in the tube walls would limit the ability of APT to meet its production goals, and high levels of permeation would require a costly cleanup system for the cooling water. To simulate tritium implantation, a 200 keV accelerator was used to implant deuterium into Al 6061-T and SS3 16L samples at temperatures and particle fluxes appropriate for APT, for times varying between one week and five months. The implanted samples were characterized to determine the deuterium retention and Permeation. During the implantation, the D(d,p)T nuclear reaction was used to monitor the build-up of deuterium in the implant region of the samples. These experiments increased in sophistication, from mono-energetic deuteron implants to multi-energetic deuteron and proton implants, to more accurately reproduce the conditions expected in APT. Micron-thick copper, nickel, and anodized aluminum coatings were applied to the front surface of the samples (inside of the APT walls) in an attempt to lower retention and permeation. The reduction in both retention and permeation produced by the nickel coatings, and the ability to apply them to the inside of the APT tubes, indicate that both nickel-coated Al 6061-T6 and nickel-coated SS3 16L tubes would be effective for use in APT. The results of this work were submitted to the Accelerator Production of Tritium project in document number TPO-E29-Z-TNS-X-00050, APT-MP-01-17

Nanostructures from hydrogen implantation of metals.

This study investigates a pathway to nanoporous structures created by hydrogen implantation in aluminum. Previous experiments for fusion applications have indicated that hydrogen and helium ion implantations are capable of producing bicontinuous nanoporous structures in a variety of metals. This study focuses specifically on hydrogen and helium implantations of aluminum, including complementary experimental results and computational modeling of this system. Experimental results show the evolution of the surface morphology as the hydrogen ion fluence increases from 10{sup 17} cm{sup -2} to 10{sup 18} cm{sup -2}. Implantations of helium at a fluence of 10{sup 18} cm{sup -2} produce porosity on the order of 10 nm. Computational modeling demonstrates the formation of alanes, their desorption, and the resulting etching of aluminum surfaces that likely drives the nanostructures that form in the presence of hydrogen

Review of the oxidation rate of zirconium alloys.

The oxidation of zirconium alloys is one of the most studied processes in the nuclear industry. The purpose of this report is to provide in a concise form a review of the oxidation process of zirconium alloys in the moderate temperature regime. In the initial ''pre-transition'' phase, the surface oxide is dense and protective. After the oxide layer has grown to a thickness of 2 to 3 {micro}m's, the oxidation process enters the ''post-transition'' phase where the density of the layer decreases and becomes less protective. A compilation of relevant data suggests a single expression can be used to describe the post-transition oxidation rate of most zirconium alloys during exposure to oxygen, air, or water vapor. That expression is: Oxidation Rate = 13.9 g/(cm{sup 2}-s-atm{sup -1/6}) exp(-1.47 eV/kT) x P{sup 1/6} (atm{sup 1/6})