Tritium production reactor: reactor fuel elements and reactor core

This patent deals with the production of tritium from a lithium compound in a nuclear reactor. Small round particles (30-1000 μm) are composed of a lithium compound (lithium oxide or aluminate), an inside lining in a porous substance (pyrolytic carbide), a gas proof coating made of a dense substance (SiC or 2rC) and a new coat of carbon. The coated particles are irradiated with thermal neutrons in a gas cooled nuclear reactor in order to bring about the transmutation of a preponderant proportion of 6Li nuclides to form helium and tritium. The tritium is recovered from the particles by heating them to at least 13000C to bring about diffusion through the external coating. It is also possible to bring these particles to around 13000C in a reactor during a sufficiently long period, for example a week, to ensure the total diffusion of the tritium in the helium atmosphere. The tritium is then eliminated by a recuperation system