HYDROGEN RETENTION AND RELEASE BEHAVIOR DURING FULL LIFE USE OF ZR-V-FE ALLOY FOR ISOTOPIC WATER PROCESSING

In this paper, we present the results of an experiment wherein Zr[V0.5 Fe0.5](2) alloy has been used for the conversion of light water vapour to hydrogen at a temperature of 400 degrees C and partial pressure of similar to 4 kPa through a series of batch processes nearly up to its full life. After similar to 1960 cumulated hours of conversion, the o xygen uptake was found to be similar to 2.24 moles of oxygen per an eq uivalent mole of alloy. Systematic investigations of the conversion pr ocess revealed a reduction in the hydrogen release capabilities as the oxidation of the alloy increased. The role and consequence of the hyd rogen and oxygen atoms resulting from the cracking of water vapour mol ecules at the alloy surface are discussed from the observed dependence s of the hydrogen release on the duration of conversion and the relaxa tion time between two successive conversions. The significance of the experimental results towards the usage and disposal of the alloy mater ial, for the purpose of tritiated water conversion in a fusion reactor situation, is also discussed.