Simulation of the yield of atmospheric tritium trapped in bubbling systems

Bubbling systems are the most popular tritium traps used by nuclear operators to assess the quantity of atmospheric tritium in their facilities. This article, based on the experimental data of more than 2000 measurements taken in nuclear facilities, clarifies the link between the measured values and the tritium capture yield. A direct relationship between the tritium capture yield, the sampling time, and the temperature and moisture of air samples has been shown. A reliable model has been developed to get the value of the tritium capture yield as a function of sampling time and of the variation of the volume of water in the bubbling system. (A.C.)