The lithium ceramics life test in the WWR-K reactor

Full text:Lithium ceramics is one of the most prospecting candidates for the material of the fusion reactor tritium-multiplying blanket. This is the compound Li2Ti0s modified with 0-10 mol.% of Li2O. Tritium is produced as a result of the nuclear reaction 6Li+n=3H+a + 4.78 MeV. The required conditions for practical application of a material in the tritium blanket are its mechanical stability, when a high level of the lithium atom burn up ionizes of the atomic percentage) is reached, and the tritium high-efficient yield within the temperature operational range. To study the lithium ceramics stability against radiation/thermal impact and capability to release produced tritium, the lithium ceramics life test has been carried out. In course of trials the lithium ceramic specimens was subject to the high-fluence irradiation under the ceramics temperature within the range 400-900 deg. C with the tritium release process uninterrupted monitoring. Ceramics irradiation has been performed in the specially developed ampoule assemblies, installed in two irradiation channels located in the WWR-K reactor core central region. 6Six ampoules contained 16.2 g of Li2TiOh enriched to 96 % in 6Li isotope. The reactor thermal power is 6 MW. To control irradiation parameters, the universal loop facility system was used. Information collection, representation and storage were implemented by the special computerized measuring system