Tritium technology for blankets of fusion power plants

Thermonuclear fusion power stations based on the deuterium-tritium reaction require breeding blankets to produce the tritium (T) fuel consumed in the plasma. This paper resumes the state-of-the-art of the T related technology from the initial T production in the lithium-bearing breeder material to a T stream which is ready for re-injection into the plasma. The remaining de velopment issues are outlined and conventional techniques are confronted wi th advanced methods requiring more R&D effort but promising certain advanta ges in return. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.