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DTRA’s advancements in nuclear and radiological detection
A new, more complex nuclear age has begun. Echoing the tensions of the Cold War amid rapidly evolving nuclear and radiological threats, preparedness in the modern age is a contest of scientific innovation. The Research and Development Directorate (RD) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is charged with winning this contest.
W.R.C. Graham, J.M. Miller, A.E. Everatt, J.R.R. Tremblay, D.A. Spagnolo
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 41 | Number 3 | May 2002 | Pages 1137-1141
Isotope Separation | Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Tritium Science and Technology Tsukuba, Japan November 12-16, 2001 | doi.org/10.13182/FST02-A22761
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Analysis of process data from initial detritiation tests in a pilot-scale Combined Electrolysis and Catalytic Exchange (CECE) Facility1 indicated that very high detritiation factors (DFs), at least 10 000, could be achieved in the facility. Performance requirements for process equipment were evaluated and some minor refinements were made to selected components. In particular, the recombination efficiency of tritium in the electrolytic oxygen stream was improved and the tritiated-water feed point was moved to a location lower in the catalyst column. With these modifications, the facility was able to remove more than 99.998% of the tritium (i.e., achieve a DF greater than 50 000) from a heavy water feed stream containing 330 GBq/kg, with 7.8 TBq/kg in the electrolysis cell. The processing rate at these conditions was about 2.2 Mg/a, compared with a rate of 5 Mg/a for a DF of 180.