A New Hydrogen Processing Demonstration System James (Jim) Klein Anita Poore Xin (Steve) Xiao Dave Babineau 35th Tritium Focus Group (TFG) Meeting Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ May 5-6, 2015 SRNL‐L2100‐2015‐00033 Overview: Compare and Contrast Tritium Process Systems Background • D (Deuterium) – Discovered in 1931 • T (Tritium) – Discovered in 1934 • Various uses for tritium • D-T Fusion Reaction – D + T = He + n + 17.59 MeV 2 Beginning Research US Cold War Defense Programs • D + T = He + n + 17.59 MeV • 1940’s during WWII – US Manhattan Project • US Nuclear Deterrent Fusion Energy • D + T = He + n + 17.59 MeV • 1950’s – US Atoms for Peace • Electric Power Generation 3 Tritium Fuel Cycle: Similar for All Uses Emissions Process Tritium Inputs Process Tritium Tritium Supply Evacuation Tritium Tritium Clean‐up Storage (impurity removal) Tritium Isotope Detritiation Separation Confinement Processing 4 Compare and Contrast Tritium Process Systems/Fuel Cycles Emissions Tritium Fuel Cycle: Similar for All Uses Process Tritium Inputs Process Tritium Tritium Supply Evacuation Tritium Tritium Clean‐up Storage (impurity removal) Tritium Isotope Detritiation Separation Confinement Processing 5 Tritium Fuel Cycle: Tritium Process • Defense Programs • EXIT Signs • ITER – Components – Glass Tubes – Tokamak Emissions Process Tritium Inputs The Illusion Process Tritium Tritium “Once the Tritium Process has been defined, all Supply Evacuation that is left to debate is what processes and Tritium Tritium Clean‐up equipment to use for the rest of the facility. Storage (impurity removal) Let’s focus funding on plasma science and Tritium Isotope Detritiation Separation materials development.” Confinement Processing 6 Tritium Supply Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy • Produced Material • Waste Product from CANDU • Department of Energy Nuclear Electricity Generation Weapons Complex • Tritium Removed from Heavy Water • 1950’s: Savannah River Plant • Chalk River Lab Distribution 7 Tritium Facility Siting and Emissions Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy • Far from Large Population • Research Based at Centers Universities/Technology Centers • Large Land Areas • Typically More Urban – Public far from Site Boundary – Close to Public – On-Site Waste Disposal • Waste Shipped Off-Site • Low Allowable Emissions 8 Tritium Process Inventory Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy • “Large” Inventories to Meet • “Low” Inventories to Meet Safety Stockpile Demands Basis Requirement – Asset: Flexibility; Ready Supply • Minimum to Meet Process Needs • Process Design Focus • More Tritium, More Cost! – Production; not Minimum Inventory • More Tritium, More Risks! 9 Tritium Processing: Batch Versus Continuous Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy (ITER) • Component Filling • Continuous During Test Reduces – Inherently Batch Process Inventory Needed • “Baseline” Process Flow Rates • Much Higher Process Flow Rates 10 Discussion: Tritium Evacuation Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy (ITER) • Typically Commercially Available • Large Pumping Speeds Equipment • Continuous Duty Cycle – Vacuum Pumps • Custom Pump Development – Compressors • Multiple, Sequenced Pumps • Metal Hydride Technology 11 Discussion: Tritium Clean-Up/Gas Processing Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy (ITER) • Main Separation: Pd/Ag “Diffuser • Main Separation: Pd/Ag (Permeator) System Permeator (Diffuser) System • Eventually, Catalytic Oxidation • Eventually, Catalytic Oxidation and Absorption and Absorption • Water “Cracking” Via Hot Metal • Water Detritiation Process 12 Discussion: Tritium Isotope Separation Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy (ITER) • Various Methods Used • Cryogenic Distillation – Thermal Diffusion Columns – Continuous Process – Batch Cryogenic Distillation – Four Column Design • Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) (Not ITER Separation System) 13 Discussion: Tritium Storage Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy (ITER) • Old Processes • Metal Hydride Storage Beds – Sub-atmospheric Tanks – DU (depleted Uranium) • New Processes – 70 g Limit – Metal Hydride Storage Beds – Large Capacity Beds: > 300 gram 14 Discussion: Tritium Supply Cold War Defense Programs Fusion Energy (ITER) • Pumps, Compressors, Metal • Cryogenic Pellet Injectors Hydride Beds – High Feed Rates • Compress Mixtures – Inject D and T Separately (JET Pellet Injector) 15 Discussion: Rate-Inventory Matrix • Relative System Inventories and Tritium Processing Rates Low Inventory High Inventory Systems Systems High Processing Fusion Research Rates Tritium Systems Low Processing US Cold War Rates Tritium Systems 16 Discussion: Rate-Inventory Matrix • Improvements to Cold War Processing Systems - Is Lower Inventory, Faster Systems the Right Path? Low Inventory High Inventory Systems Systems High Processing Fusion Research Rates Tritium Systems A Low Processing US Cold War Rates Tritium Systems 17 Discussion: Rate-Inventory Matrix • All Processes Benefit from Lower Process Inventories - Less Public Dose from Accident Scenarios Low Inventory High Inventory Systems Systems High Processing Fusion Research Rates Tritium Systems Low Processing Cold War Rates Tritium Systems 1 18 Discussion: Rate-Inventory Matrix • Not All Processes Need Fast Processing Rates - “Right-Size” Processes Based on Need Low Inventory High Inventory Systems Systems High Processing Fusion Research Rates Tritium Systems 2 ‐as needed Low Processing Cold War Rates Tritium Systems 1 19 Conclusions: Part 1 Tritium Process Technology Development • Initiated as Part of US Nuclear Weapons Defense Programs All Tritium Processes Contain Similar Processing Operations • Fusion Research Needs Exceed Existing Technology Base • New Processes and Technologies Under Development US Cold War Era Facility Design Basis Outdated • Revised Processed to be Developed for Reduced Inventories – Improved Safety to the Public • Need for Faster Processes: “Right-Size” Processes • Still Need Technology Development for Tritium Processes – Tritium Releases to the Public Dominate System Designs – Yes: Continue Plasma Science and Materials Research Too! 20 Part 2: Overview • Hydrogen Processing Demonstration System (HPDS) • Enabling Activities/Tasks – Revised Unloading Purification System (RUPS – this talk) – Optimized, Advanced Storage and Isotope Separation (OASIS – this talk) – Reduced Area Confinement and WAter Processing (RACWAP - not discussed) • Anita promises to make me change the acronym! – Advanced HT Isotope Separations (not discussed) • Plans – HPDS Cold Test Concept and Plans Tritium Processing at SRS: The Largest Metal Hydride Based Tritium Facility in the World 22 H Area New Manufacturing – Tritiated Waste Gas Processing 23 Revised/Reservoir Unloading Purification System (RUPS) RUPS Boundary Cryosorption He‐3 MH Primary Diffusers Compressor Separator Pumps Gas Cylinder Reservoirs Q (Q=H,D,T) Unloading 2 Vacuum Pumps Previous Development Path: Piece‐wise Component Replacement • Replace existing unit operation with equivalent replacement RUPS Boundary Feed Exhaust Gas Gas Cooling Cooling nitrogen nitrogen Uses Hot and Uses Electric Heaters Pd/k Cold Nitrogen and Liquid Nitrogen 3 ft AA BB 24 Revised/Reservoir Unloading Purification System (RUPS) RUPS Boundary Cryosorption He‐3 MH Primary Diffusers Compressor Separator Pumps Gas Cylinder Reservoirs Q (Q=H,D,T) Unloading 2 Vacuum Pumps New Development Path: New Requirements, Improved Processes • Replace system, not just components: “Right‐Size” System RUPS Boundary He‐3 New Gas Cylinder Reservoirs Q (Q=H,D,T) Unloading RUPS 2 Process 25 Storage and Isotope Separations Gloveboxes MH T2 & D2 Storage MH T2 Storage MH TCAP MH Isotope Feed Bed Separation MH D2 Storage 26 Storage and Isotope Separations: Current Hydride Storage Beds Previous Development Pathway • Stay with existing hydride storage material (e.g. LaNi4.25Al0.75 or “LANA0.75”) • Develop Improved hydride beds • Rev. 0: Used Hot and Cold Nitrogen System • Rev. 1: Forced‐Atmosphere Cooling, Electric Heaters (PACE/FACE Beds) • Rev. 2: More Efficient PACE Bed • Four Inch Short Hydride (FISH) Bed • Some Beds Still Rely on LANA Alloys • Retain He‐3 • P‐C‐T Altered by Retained He‐3 10,000 1,000 Initial Properties 100 Aged Properties 10 1 Three Generations of Metal Hydride Storage Beds 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 T/M 27 Storage and Isotope Separations: Current Isotope Separations Previous Development Pathway • Stay with known metal hydride • Pd on kieselguhr (Pd/k) • Stay with Current Process • Inert, Passive Plug‐Flow Reverser to Preserve Concentration Profile • Close‐Couple Column with Heating and Cooling Systems to Reduce Cycle Times • Use Internal Heat Transfer Foam to Improve Thermal Cycling Response Raffinate H2 Pd/k Plug Feed column flow T2+H2 with reverser hot/cold (passive) jacket Product Two Generations of Isotope Separation Columns T2 28 Optimized, Advanced Storage and Isotope Separation (OASIS): New Boundary Gloveboxes MH T2 & D2 Storage RUPS Q2 (Q=H,D,T) MH T2 Storage MH TCAP MH Isotope Feed Bed Separation Include Mix Tanks Mix In Scope of System MH D2 Tanks Storage Redesign 29 Optimized, Advanced Storage and Isotope Separation (OASIS) Gloveboxes T.B.D. RUPS Q (Q=H,D,T) 2 Storage T.B.D. Advanced T.B.D. Include Mix Tanks Feed TCAP Storage Mix In Scope of System Tanks Redesign 30 OASIS Tritium Storage and Pumping: New Focus New Development Pathway • Expand role of other metal hydride storage materials (e.g. Depleted Uranium: DU) • New Storage Bed Concepts • Storage and Separations • Evaluate Merit of