Patent Number: 046631119
Section: summary

The present invention relates generally to the production of tritium and more particularly to a specific way of producing the tritium as well as a specific way of retaining it. One of the most promising prime fuels in fusion reaction is deuterium-tritium (D-T) fuel, and for this reason, tritium breeding has been given much attention in fusion reactor design. Some of the conceptual studies for tritium breeding can be found in the following publications: G. H. MILEY, Fusion Energy Conversion, American Nuclear Society, LaGrane Park, Ill. (1976). PA1 R. J. DeBELLIS and Z. A. SABRI, "Fusion Power: Status and Options", EPRI ER-510-SR, Electric Power Research Institute (June 1977). PA1 "STARFIRE--A Commercial Tokamak Fusion Power Plant Study", ANL/FPP-80-1, Vol. 1, Argonne National Lab. (Sep. 1980). PA1 "NUWMAK, A Tokamak Reactor Design Study", UWFDM-330, University of Wisconsin (Mar. 1979). An important aspect of the D-T fuel cycle is that a lithium blanket is required to breed tritium as an integral part of the fusion reactor. On the other hand, it is also possible to produce tritium separately by subjecting lithium to neutron irradiation as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,100,184 or 3,079,317. The production of tritium by means of neutron irradiation is also discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,037,922; 3,510,270; and 3,791,921. As will be seen hereinafter, the present invention is also concerned with the production of tritium by means of neutron irradiation and, accordingly, one object of the present invention is to produce tritium in an efficient and yet uncomplicated and reliable manner. Another object of the present invention is to provide an uncomplicated and yet reliable way of retaining the tritium once it is produced. A more particular object of the present invention is to provide an efficient tritium breeding material, an efficient tritium retaining material and reliable means for containing both in a way which allows each to function efficiently in its intended manner. As will be seen hereinafter, for the reasons to be discussed, the preferred material selected to produce the tritium is lithium bismuth and the preferred material selected to retain the tritium once produced is nickel. These two materials are preferably contained in a common tubular housing which is pervious to neutrons, at least to a limited extent, and impervious to tritium. In this way, the entire tubular housing can be placed in an appropriate location within a nuclear reactor for exposing the lithium bismuth to the neutrons produced by the reactor. The nickel can be placed in sufficiently close vicinity to the lithium bismuth to dissolve and thereby retain any tritium produced by the lithium bismuth as a result of this bombardment of neutrons.