LIVERMORE SEEKING PARTNERS FOR NEW TRITIUM PROCESSING, STORAGE METHODS

By ExchangeMonitor

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is seeking an industry partner to help it come up with new ways of processing and storing tritium for next-generation nuclear fusion facilities, the lab said in a sources sought notice earlier this week. Tritium is used at the lab’s National Ignition Facility—it is the fusion of deuterium and tritium that is key to the technology—but it is not as readily available as deuterium, which is found in water, and must be manufactured and recycled due to its short lifetime. “These processes need to be as efficient as possible to effectively eliminate any losses to the environment and to minimize the overall inventory of tritium material in the system,” the lab said. “Present day technologies are sufficient for facilities such as the NIF, but new processes will need to be developed to allow construction of next-generation facilities, as proposed by many groups around the world.”

The lab also said it is exploring developing structural materials that can withstand the high temperatures and intense neutron flux of fusion reactions. “Conventional metals are inadequate, either due to poor mechanical properties under neutron bombardment (e.g. embrittlement), or due to unacceptable activation,” the lab said. “Advanced materials and material processing techniques (e.g. bonding / welding) are required.” Companies interested in partnering with the lab are asked to submit information about its interest. More information can be found in the sources sought notice or at the lab’s Industrial Partnerships Office.

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