Gas Handling Systems Using Titanium-Sponge and Uranium Bulk Getters

Abstract

A protium gas handling system using titanium and uranium bulk getters was designed, constructed and tested. Numerous process operations were carried out on this system to aid in the design of a tritium gas handling system four times the experimental scale. Experimental results have shown that high percentages of tritium on long-terra titanium storage beds can be recovered in a relatively short period of time and be transferred to uranium bed(s) in direct (pump-less) and pump-aided transfers. An optimum storage time after which the rate of interstitial ³He evolution would be prohibitive to conduct direct tritium transfers is estimated.