Compatibility problems in tritium breeding blankets

The compatibility between tritium breeding materials (liquid or solid), neutron multiplier and structural steels is a concern for the choice of a tritium breeding blanket for NET. For solid tritium breeding blanket, it seems that the more severe compatibility problem is due to the interaction of beryllium with steel. As for the water-cooled Pb17Li blanket, the first results obtained in experimental conditions closed to the concept have evidenced lower corrosion rates than those measured in thermal convection loops. (orig.)