.Experimental study of tritium recovery from liquid lithium by yttrium

The recovery of hydrogen in liquid Li by Y was investigated in the range 573-773 K. To recover tritium down to I wppm from Li, it is necessary to absorb tritium in Li into the Y hydride around at 523 K, if Y is in a hydride phase. However, it was found that limiting the use of the Y bed until its alpha phase relieves the temperature restriction. The hydrogen recovery rate was determined comparatively among the static Li-H-2, Y-H-2 and Li-Y-H-2 systems. Although the hydrogen absorbing rate of Li-Y-H-2 was comparable to that Of Y-H-2 at 673 K, it decreased at temperatures lower than 623 K due to reaction resistance at the Y surface. Relation between the surface effect and temperature was discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.