Tritium recovery from a breeder material: Gamma lithium aluminate

This paper discusses phenomena that have been observed during tritium extraction from y-lithium aluminate, specifically: - Increase of rate of extraction when adding hydrogen to the sweep gas - formation of tritiated water in all cases - permeation of tritium through gas pipes - adsorption of tritiated water on gas lines. To minimize the blanket tritium inventory a flowchart is proposed whose specificity rests in the addition of hydrogen to the gas within the blanket, followed by recovery of the tritium after oxidation of hydrogen to water, electrolysis and reconcentration. This flowchart includes a provision for detritiation of the coolant which is separate from the purge gas.