HTGR Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Tritium behaviour in an HTR-system based on AVR-experience

Steinwarz, W. (Gesellschaft fuer Hochtemperaturreaktor-Technik m.b.H., Bergisch Gladbach (Germany, F.R.)); Roehrig, H.D. (Kernforschungsanlage Juelich G.m.b.H. (Germany, F.R.)); Nieder, R. (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchs-Reaktor G.m.b.H., Juelich (Germany, F.R.))

Abstract

The hydrogen isotope tritium is of particular interest as related to high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTR), because it is the only radionuclide which can permeate from the primary circuit through heat exchanger walls into secondary circuits and there cause an unwanted contamination. The AVR-reactor started its operation in December 1967 and since then numerous measurements have been made in the helium coolant and on the steam side. Moreover, a series of in-pile and laboratory experiments has been performed aimed at a better understanding of tritium behaviour in a HTR. The view we have got by these studies shall be discussed in this paper.

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key words: avr reactor; contamination; diagrams; diffusion; graphite; hydrogen; interactions; primary coolant circuits; secondary coolant circuits; tritium; beta decay radioisotopes; beta-minus decay radioisotopes; carbon; cooling systems; enriched uranium reactors; gas cooled reactors; graphite moderated reactors; helium cooled reactors; homogeneous reactors; htgr type reactors; hydrogen isotopes; information; isotopes; light nuclei; nuclei; odd-even nuclei; pebble bed reactors; power reactors; radioisotopes; reactor components; reactor cooling systems; reactors; solid homogeneous reactors; thermal reactors; thorium reactors
Reference:
Specialists meeting on coolant chemistry, plate-out and decontamination in gas-cooled reactors Juelich, Federal Republic of Germany 2-4 December 1980
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IWGGCR--2, pp:153-160