New technique for non-destructive measurements of tritium in future fusion reactors

To establish a new technique for monitoring and control of high-level tritium in a fuel circulation system of the fusion reactors, the applicability of a new technique to elemental tritium and tritiated water was discussed. The new technique is based on the utilization of x-rays induced by β-rays from tritium, and it is called β-ray-induced x-ray spectrometry. The applicability of the same technique to the tritium species retained in solid materials was also discussed. It was concluded from applications to gaseous and aqueous tritium under the static state that the new technique is applicable as an in-line monitor in the fuel circulation system. In addition, it was also shown that the new technique plays an important role in non-destructive evaluation of tritium retained in solid materials such as plasma-facing materials.