Estimation of the tritium production and inventory in beryllium

Beryllium has been proposed as a candidate material for the neutron multiplier in fusion blanket designs. Tritium will be produced and will accumulate in beryllium under neutron irradiation. The tritium production and inventories under 1.5 and 3.0 GW fusion power operation were calculated for a layered pebble bed blanket with lithium oxide (Li2O) breeder and beryllium (Be) multiplier. Neutronics calculations were carried out using the one-dimensional transport code ANISN, and the tritium production due to direct reaction of 9Be(n, T)7 Li and the two-step reactions 9Be(n,α)6Li(n,α)T was taken into account. The tritium production due to the two-step reaction was calculated to be 50% of the total tritium production after 1 year full power operation (FPY). The tritium inventory was estimated by considering three kinetic parameters, the permeability from the breeder region, diffusivity in a beryllium matrix, and solubility. Tritium permeation from the breeder region to the beryllium region through a 316SS wall was as much as 3 g h−1, which is 30% of the tritium production (9.6 g h−1) in the breeder region. Using the diffusion coefficient of beryllium with no oxide layer on its surface, the total tritium inventory was calculated to be 7 g FPY−1, mainly owing to solubility. The content of beryllium oxide significantly affects the effective diffusion coefficient. Using a diffusion coefficient for beryllium with beryllium oxide layer on its surface, the tritium inventory was found to be equal to the amount produced.