US 12,674,900 B2Granted

Devices and methods for measuring tritium production

AssigneeOhio State Innovation Foundation

InventorsLei Raymond Cao, Andrew Maier

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Abstract

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for measuring tritium production. For example, disclosed herein are devices comprising a first layer and a second layer, each comprising a detection material, and the thickness the layers being configured such that tritium cannot pass therethrough. When a lithium composition is substantially contained within a chamber formed by the first and second layers, and a neutron irradiation source irradiates the lithium composition disposed within the chamber; then the device produces tritium within the chamber that diffuses to the first layer and/or the second layer, and the tritium interacts with the first detection material and/or the second detection material to thereby form a signal that is detected and analyzed to determine a property of tritium, such as the presence or absence of tritium production, the amount or concentration of tritium produced, the rate of tritium production, or a combination thereof.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A device for measuring tritium production, the device comprising:

a first layer comprising a first detection material;
and
a second layer comprising a second detection material;
wherein the first detection material and the second detection material are the same or different;
the first layer having a first thickness and the second layer having a second thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are the same or different;
wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are configured such that tritium cannot pass through the first layer or the second layer;
when the device is assembled together with:
a lithium composition, the lithium composition being a composition comprising lithium;
and
a neutron irradiation source;
such that the lithium composition is in contact with and sandwiched between the first layer and the second layer, the first layer and the second layer each having a perimeter which together form a periphery of the device, and the first layer is sealed to the second layer to form a seal around the periphery such that the lithium composition is substantially contained within a chamber formed by the first layer, the second layer, and the seal;
and
such that the neutron irradiation source is configured to irradiate the lithium composition disposed within the chamber formed by the first layer, the second layer, and the seal;
then the device produces tritium within the chamber that diffuses to the first layer and/or the second layer, and the tritium interacts with the first detection material and/or the second detection material to thereby form a signal that is detected and analyzed to determine a property of tritium.

11 more elements

A method for measuring tritium production, the method comprising:

disposing a lithium composition, the lithium composition being a composition comprising lithium, between a fourth layer comprising a first alpha particle blocking material and a fifth layer comprising a second alpha particle blocking material, thereby forming a first stack;
and
disposing the first stack between a first layer comprising a first detection material and a second layer comprising a second detection material;
such that the lithium composition is in contact with and sandwiched between the fourth layer and the fifth layer, the fourth layer is in contact with and sandwiched between the first layer and the lithium composition, and the fifth layer is in contact with and sandwiched between the second layer and the lithium composition;
the first layer and the second layer each having a perimeter which together form a periphery;
sealing the first layer to the second layer around the periphery such that the lithium composition, the fourth layer, and the fifth layer are substantially contained within a chamber formed by the first layer, the second layer, and the seal between the first layer and the second layer;
wherein the first detection material and the second detection material are the same or different;
the first layer having a first thickness and the second layer having a second thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are the same or different;
wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are configured such that tritium cannot pass through the first layer or the second layer;
wherein the first alpha particle blocking material and the second alpha particle blocking material are the same or different;
the fourth layer having a fourth thickness and the fifth layer having a fifth thickness, wherein the fourth thickness and the fifth thickness are the same or different;
wherein the fourth thickness and the fifth thickness are configured such that alpha particles cannot pass through the fourth layer or the fifth layer, but tritium can pass through both the fourth layer and the fifth layer;
irradiating the lithium composition within the chamber with a neutron irradiation source;
thereby producing tritium gas within the chamber that diffuses through the fourth layer and/or the fifth layer to the first layer and/or the second layer, and the tritium interacts with the first detection material and/or the second detection material to thereby form a signal;
when alpha particles are produced within the chamber, then the alpha particles diffuse to and are captured by the fourth layer and/or the fifth layer;
detecting and analyzing the signal to determine a property of tritium.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.