Tritium Removal by CO2 Laser Heating
Authors: C.H. Skinner, H. Kugel, D. Mueller, B.L. Doyle, and W.R. Wampler
Efficient techniques for rapid tritium removal will be necessary for ITER [International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) to meet its physics and engineering goals. One potential technique is transient surface heating by a scanning CO2 or Nd:Yag laser that would release tritium without the severe engineering difficulties of bulk heating of the vessel. We have modeled the heat propagation into a surface layer and find that a multi-kW/cm2 flux with an exposure time of order 10 msec is suitable to heat a 50 micron co-deposited layer to 1,000-2,000 degrees. Improved wall conditioning may be a significant side benefit. We identify remaining issues that need to be addressed experimentally.