LNF: Fusion LiqUid meTals HYdrogen ExtRaction (Fusion LUTHYER)

LNF - Nationally funded project

Title: Fusion LiqUid meTals HYdrogen ExtRaction (Fusion LUTHYER)

Reference: PID2022-140644OA-I00

Programme and date: Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento, convocatoria 2022

Programme type (Modalidad de proyecto): Tipo A

Area/subarea (Área temática / subárea): Energía y transporte

Principal Investigator(s): Belit Garcinuño [1]

Project type: Proyecto individual

Start-end dates: 01/09/2023 - 01/09/2026

Financing granted (direct costs): 100.000,00 €

Description of the project

This proposal aims to address key activities related to liquid metals in the international Fusion scientific program, through dedicated experimental activities supported by theoretical simulations. One of the main operational objectives of a fusion reactor is to ensure tritium self-sufficiency, but techniques currently proposed for tritium extraction have not been fully validated, both from the numerical and experimental points of view. The experiments proposed in Fusion LUTHYER are focused on the validation of a technique for tritium extraction from PbLi based on Permeation Against Vacuum (PAV).The backbone of the project is devoted to the experimental expoliation of the PbLi circuit CLIPPER, already in operation at LML. CLIPPER is an experimental facility designed to provide a flexible operational scenario for the validation of the Permeation Against Vacuum (PAV) technique for tritium extraction from PbLi. This technology can be applied by means of tritium permeation through a membrane or by the direct exposition of the liquid metal to the vacuum. Fusion LUTHYER is organized in four blocks:

- Extraction of light ions from liquid metals. Tritium extraction from the liquid metal compiles a critical unsolved issue, since the presence of H-isotopes directly impairs safety and maintenance of the installation. Different extraction techniques have been proposed along the years, and of them the permeation against vacuum (PAV) has been selected as the most suitable for DEMO. To perform this kind of experiments at laboratory scale, hydrogen isotopes cannot be generated in the liquid metal through nuclear reactions. Therefore, gas injection systems and concentration sensors are needed, and the support of modeling and chemical characterization activities is a key aspect.

- Detection of light ions in liquid metals. There is a need to monitor the content of H, and more specifically the content of tritium, during the operation of the experiment. The reference solution for monitoring is the chemical analysis off-beam by means of PbLi specimens extracted from the loop. An on-line monitoring is foreseen by the development of two sensors for hydrogen isotopes; the first one is based on the permeation against vacuum technology; the second one, based on electrochemical measurements.

- Modelling activities in support of the experiments. The modelling is an essential tool for the definition of the experiments. It compiles all physic-chemical processes with the operational parameters of the CLIPPER loop to obtain results in the limit of detection of the equipment and comparable to what is expected. One of the most attractive principles of nuclear fusion is that the radioactive waste produced in a commercial reactor should be classified as Low-Level Waste (LLW) within 100 years after the end of life (EOL).

- Analysis activities in support of the experiments. The study of H/D diffusion, permeation, and trapping in functional, breeding and structural materials is fundamental not only for the development of tritium efficient extraction methods but also for tritium inventory control.

As a summary, the activities proposed in the framework of the Fusion LUTHYER project include a set of experimental and modeling tasks focused on some challenges in the liquid metals technology (PbLi) for its application to critical systems in the path to a DEMO reactor, as the tritium extraction system.

References

1. B. Garcinuño et al., “The CIEMAT LiPb Loop Permeation Experiment”, Fusion Eng. Des. 146 (2019) 1228-1232
2. B. Garcinuño et al., “The Tritium Extraction and Removal System for the DCLL-DEMO fusion reactor”, Nucl. Fusion 58 (2018) 095002
3. B. Garcinuño et al., “Design and fabrication of a Permeator Against Vacuum prototype for small scale testing at Lead-Lithium facility”, Fusion Eng. Des. 124 (2017) 871-875
4. F.R. Urgorri et al., "Theoretical evaluation of the tritium extraction from liquid metal flows through a free surface and through a permeable membrane" Nuclear Fusion 63 (2023) 63 046025
5. F.R. Urgorri et al., A “Tritium transport modeling at system level for the EUROfusion dual coolant lithium-lead breeding blanket”,Nucl. Fusion, 57 (2017) 116045
6. B. Garcinuño et al., “Development of an on-line sensor for hydrogen isotopes monitoring in flowing lithium at DONES” Fusion Eng. Des. 161 (2020) 112010
7. B. Garcinuño et al., “Establishing technical specifications for PbLi eutectic alloy analysis and its relevance in fusion applications”, Nucl. Mater. Energy 30, pp. 101146 (2022)
8. M. Malo et al., "Experimental refutation of the deuterium permeability in vanadium, niobium and tantalum" Fusion Engineering and Design 146-A (2019) 224-227
9. I. Peñalva et al., "Hydrogen Transport Model in Eutectic PbLi for Data Evaluation in an Absorption-Desorption Experimental Facility" Fusion Science and Technology (2024) 80(3–4) 596–606
10. M. Malo et al., "Experimental Determination of Hydrogen Isotope Transport Parameters in Vanadium" Membranes 2022, 12(6), 579
11. D. Rapisarda et al., “The European Dual Coolant Lithium Lead breeding blanket for DEMO: status and perspectives”, Nucl. Fusion 61 (2021) 1150011
12. I. Palermo et al., “Tritium production assessment for the DCLL EUROfusion DEMO”, Nucl. Fusion 56 (2016) 104001
13. I. Palermo et al., “Radiological impact mitigation of waste coming from the European fusion reactor DEMO with DCLL breeding blanket” Fusion Eng. Des. 124 (2017) 1257-1262
14. G. A. Spagnuolo et al., "Integration issues on tritium management of the European DEMO Breeding Blanket and ancillary systems" Fusion Engineering and Design 171 (2021) 112573
15. M. Utili et al., "Design and Integration of the WCLL Tritium Extraction and Removal System into the European DEMO Tokamak Reactor" Energies 2023, 16(13), 5231

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