Tritium behavior in the Caisson, a simulated fusion reactor room

In order to confirm tritium confinement ability in the deuterium-tritium (D T) fusion reactor, intentional tritium release experiments have been starte d in a specially fabricated test stand called 'Caisson', at Tritium Process Laboratory in Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The Caisson is a sta inless steel leak-tight vessel of 12 m(3), simulating a reactor room or a t ritium handling room. In the first stage experiments, about 260 MBq of pure tritium was put into the Caisson under simulated constant Ventilation of f our times air exchanges per h. The tritium mixing and migration in the Cais son was investigated with tritium contamination measurement and detritiatio n behavior measurement. The experimental tritium migration and removal beha vior was almost perfectly reproduced and could almost be simulated by a thr ee-dimensional flow analysis code. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.