Tritium production and safe handling

Research and development for tritium production is progressing in a nuclear fusion research program of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. Recently, about 100 Ci of tritium has been extracted from neutron-irradiated 6Li-Al alloy targets using Tritium Extraction System (TREX) which is a vacuum system consisting of a vaccum furnace, a purifier and a getter trap (U beds). The system is set in an airtight cell and Tritium Removal System (TRS) is furnished in the laboratory to keep tritium release to the experimental area and to the environment to acceptable levels. The TRS is capable of converting tritium to tritiated water vapor, and absorbing the vapor on molecular sieves. (author)