Radiochemical reactions between tritium and humid air

• Published in: 17th IEEE/NPSS Symposium Fusion Engineering (Cat. No.97CH36131) Vol. 1; pp. 313 - 316 vol.1
• Main Authors: Sherman, R.H., Taylor, D.J., Honnell, K.G., O'hira, S., Kawamura, Y., Nishi, M., Okuno, K.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 1997
• Subjects: Assembly systems; Atomic measurements; Laboratories; Monitoring; Optical mixing; Production; Raman scattering; Seals; Spectroscopy; System testing
• ISBN: 0780342267; 9780780342262
• DOI: 10.1109/FUSION.1997.687045

Radiochemical reactions between pure tritium (T/sub 2/) and moist air have been examined using real-time Raman spectroscopy. The reacting constituents were contained in a 1 cm/sup 3/ quartz cell sealed by a quartz-to-metal seal leading to a valve. A near-stoichiometric mixture of T/sub 2/ and O/sub 2/ was introduced into the cell, and the time evolution of the composition was monitored at 297 K for twenty-nine days. The production of T/sub 2/O was observed in these experiments, for the first time unambiguously detected in Raman spectroscopy. T/sub 2/O exhibits a relatively weak vibrational band at /spl sim/2241 cm/sup -1/. The radiochemical production of tritiated water did not occur in the expected 2:1 ratio, but rather with the O/sub 2/ disappearing totally when the T/sub 2/ was only slightly over halfway depleted. After the disappearance of O/sub 2/, the T/sub 2/ partial pressure continued to decrease, but at a slower rate. The initial water in the moist-air mixture disappeared totally after about 15 hours, with no concomitant production of HT. A small quantity of CO/sub 2/ was also detected, presumably produced by radiochemically driven reactions with stainless steel components.