Tritium in Fusion Power Reactor Blankets

Abstract

Several related problems involving the recovery of tritium from the breeding blanket in fusion power reactors are considered. They include the use of stagnant lithium blankets, the use of lithium as a regenerable getter pump, and the use of breeder materials that are lithium inter-metallic alloys. Transient tritium recovery rates during startup are also estimated. Keeping the tritium inventory low and providing an economical recovery cycle are conflicting goals. These topics may provide a scheme by which both might be accomplished.