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Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
Johan Braet, Aimé Bruggeman
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 48 | Number 1 | July-August 2005 | Pages 188-193
Technical Paper | Tritium Science and Technology - Decontamination and Waste | doi.org/10.13182/FST05-A909
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Over the past few years SCKCEN has been focusing on the treatment of tritiated organic liquid waste. The experimental method that we are studying is a complete two-stage combustion with thermal and catalytic oxidation of the organic liquid into tritiated water for further treatment and tritium free off gases for discharge. Our first task involved the treatment of about 200 liters of tritiated organic solvent, with a total activity of around 17 TBq. We were able to completely treat this solvent with only limited discharges to the environment. The second application of this technology was a study to treat tritiated organic liquids from the Joint European Torus (JET). We started with cold tests using virgin and inactive oil and liquid scintillation cocktail. As a final step, batches of tritiated feedstock were treated to demonstrate the viability of the process and facility. We conclude that our technology is both technically feasible and safe and can be adapted for the treatment of various categories of problematic tritiated liquid waste, which will undoubtedly be produced in existing installations and in future fusion reactors.