Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP)”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

2 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Benchmarking Hydrogen Isotope Separation Efficiency of Pd/k–Packed TCAP Columns

By leveraging the large isotope effect in the palladium hydrogen isotope system, the Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) provides an efficient and advantageous means to separate protium, deuterium, and tritium. To meet increased future tritium processing demands, such as those needed for fusion power plants, current designs of the separation columns need to be adapted and optimized using the progress made in understanding hydrogen isotope science. One key to this optimization lies in understanding the baseline performance for currently employed separation packing materials. Pd/k and molecular sieves, as commonly used for the separation of hydrogen isotopes, are herein evaluated to establish a baseline for their separation efficiency. Van Deemter plots are formulated, and the influence of each parameter is evaluated to determine areas for improvement.

Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Advanced Isotope Separation Technology for Fusion Fuel

Deuterium-tritium fusion is the easiest nuclear fusion reaction among known fusion reactions. Since tritium is extremely rare, it is artificially produced by irradiating lithium metal. The separation, isolation, and storage of the tritium isotope has been a major focus of the Savannah River Site (SRS) for many decades. Thermal diffusion, fractional absorption, and cryogenic distillation have all been used in the past, and each has significant operational and safety challenges. A process known as the Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) was invented at SRS, and because of its overwhelming advantages in safety, efficiency, size, and reduced tritium inventory, it has replaced all other hydrogen isotope separation processes at SRS. Here, the working principles and current development of hydrogen isotope separation using TCAP at SRS are explained as a potential advanced isotope separation process for the fusion fuel cycle.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗