Reaction kinetics of lithium extraction and a recycling process for lithium meta-titanate pebbles. Issue 4 (3rd April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Jae-Hwan; Akatsu, Yoshiaki; Hwang, Taehyun; Sugimoto, Yutaka; Nakano, Suguru; Nakamichi, Masaru
• Is Part Of: Journal of nuclear science and technology. Volume 60:Issue 4(2023)
• Page Start: 394
• Page End: 400
• Publication Date: 2023-04-03
• Subjects: Fusion reactor -- tritium breeder -- recycling process -- microwave heating; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1080/00223131.2022.2113163
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3131

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Fusion reactors require large amounts of lithium meta-titanate (Li2 TiO3 ) pebbles as tritium breeding materials for Japanese water-cooled solid breeder blanket. The development of a recycling process for tritium-breeding materials is essential for the early realization of fusion reactors. This study was proposed to understand the kinetics of Li extraction from Li2 TiO3 by inducing chemical reactions and applying microwave heating and establish a highly efficient recycling process for spent Li2 TiO3 pebbles. The results of Li extraction experiments performed under various conditions clarified that this extraction reaction could be applied via a surface chemical reaction with kc t = 1 − (1 − f ) 1/3 . The apparent activation energy associated with this extraction reaction was evaluated to be 52.78 kJ/mol, which is in agreement with that of the chemical reaction-controlled mechanism. Additionally, the reaction order for the dissolution of Li2 TiO3 in the HCl solution was first-order. The highly efficient recycling process of Li2 TiO3 pebbles was suggested. Graphical Abstract: uf0001