Lithium Ceramic Tritium Breeding Pebble Bed

Low friction boosts tritium extraction

Pebble bed structure significantly affects purge gas flow, and optimizing friction coefficient can enhance tritium extraction while reducing retention.

Lei, Mingzhun · Liu, Sumei · Wu, Qigang · Xu, Shuling · Bo, Li · Chunyuan, Li

Progress in Nuclear Energy 2023

Advantages

Particles with lower friction coefficient are more beneficial for tritium extraction

Pressure drop increases with decrease in friction coefficient

Mass flow proportion in internal region increases with friction coefficient

Denser pebble beds, while favorable for high breeding ratio, cause considerable flow resistance