Fusion reactor ash gas treatment device

Abstract

This application discloses a fusion reactor ash gas treatment device, belonging to the field of fusion reactor technology. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device includes: a shell forming a vacuum chamber; a gas supply unit for inputting ash gas into the vacuum chamber; an inductively coupled plasma generator for generating plasma from the ash gas input into the vacuum chamber; a hydrogen selective membrane disposed within the vacuum chamber, dividing the vacuum chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber; the inductively coupled plasma generator is at least partially located in the first chamber; deuterium ions and tritium ions pass through the hydrogen selective membrane into the second chamber and combine to form deuterium-tritium gas; a bias power supply electrically connected to the hydrogen selective membrane for applying a negative bias voltage; a first discharge section connected to the first chamber; and a second discharge section connected to the second chamber. This device achieves rapid treatment and recycling of the ash gas, is not only compact and easy to operate, but also reduces the amount of deuterium-tritium gas retained and energy consumption, improving operational reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of fusion reactor technology, and in particular relates to a device for treating fusion reactor ash gas. Background Technology

[0002] The nuclear fusion reactor chamber is the core structure of a fusion reactor device, and the stable confinement and efficient combustion of its high-temperature plasma are crucial for achieving controlled nuclear fusion. However, during operation, the combustion efficiency of deuterium-tritium fuel is limited, resulting in a large amount of exhaust gas (including unreacted deuterium-tritium fuel and impurity exhaust gas generated during the reaction) being released from the fusion reactor chamber. However, current methods for handling this exhaust gas are often cumbersome and inefficient, leading to excessively long residence times of deuterium-tritium gas during processing, which fails to meet the requirements for rapid circulation of the deuterium-tritium fuel. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the related art. To this end, this application proposes a fusion reactor ash gas treatment device, which realizes rapid treatment and recycling of ash gas. It is not only compact in structure and easy to operate, but also reduces the amount of deuterium and tritium gas retention and energy consumption, and improves the reliability of operation.

[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a fusion reactor ash gas treatment device, comprising:

[0005] The shell forms a vacuum chamber;

[0006] A gas supply unit is used to input the exhaust gas generated in the fusion reaction chamber into the vacuum chamber.

[0007] An inductively coupled plasma generator is used to generate plasma from the ash removal gas input into the vacuum chamber, the plasma comprising deuterium ions, tritium ions, and impurity ions;

[0008] A hydrogen-selective membrane is disposed within the vacuum chamber and divides the vacuum chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. The inductively coupled plasma generator is at least partially located in the first chamber. The deuterium ions and the tritium ions pass through the hydrogen-selective membrane into the second chamber and combine to form deuterium-tritium gas.

[0009] A bias power supply, electrically connected to the hydrogen selective membrane, is used to apply a bias voltage with a negative potential;

[0010] The first discharge section is connected to the first cavity and is used to discharge the waste gas formed by the combination of the impurity ions that have not passed through the hydrogen selective membrane.

[0011] The second discharge section is connected to the second cavity and is used to output the deuterium-tritium gas.

[0012] According to the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device of this application, the plasma generated at a lower temperature can promote the passage rate of deuterium and tritium ions, enabling the recovery of almost all deuterium and tritium fuel in a single operation. This reduces deuterium and tritium losses, improves fuel recycling efficiency, lowers heating power consumption, reduces heat loss, and alleviates the stress on various components (such as seals or hydrogen selective membranes) caused by high temperatures, extending their service life. Simultaneously, low-temperature operation allows for faster start-up and shutdown of the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device, eliminating the need for prolonged heating and cooling, thus facilitating pulsed intermittent operation. Combining the inductively coupled plasma generator and the hydrogen selective membrane eliminates the need for large equipment such as reaction towers and condensers required in related technologies, resulting in a more compact structure for the entire fusion reactor ash gas treatment device. This facilitates installation of the entire device close to the vacuum pumping system of the fusion reactor, optimizes the overall layout of the fusion reactor, and reduces maintenance workload. Because the deuterium and tritium gases are rapidly removed through the second exhaust section after generation, the residence time and volume of free tritium are reduced, which helps to decrease the deposition and adsorption of tritium in the pipes and vacuum chambers, thus improving safety. Helium ions, included in the impurity ions, can strip carbon and oxygen impurities attached to the feed side of the hydrogen-selective membrane through physical bombardment and chemical reactions, reducing the possibility of surface poisoning and improving self-cleaning ability and sorting efficiency. By adjusting the bias voltage applied to the hydrogen-selective membrane using the bias power supply, the bombardment energy of the plasma can be controlled, thereby balancing the permeation efficiency and the extent of damage to the hydrogen-selective membrane surface while controlling the plasma density using an inductively coupled plasma generator.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the hydrogen-selective membrane includes a self-supporting palladium membrane, and the bias power supply and the self-supporting palladium membrane are electrically connected.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this application, the self-supporting palladium film is subjected to irradiation treatment.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this application, an insulating element is provided between the hydrogen-selective membrane and the inner wall of the vacuum chamber.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this application, the inductively coupled plasma generator includes:

[0017] A discharge tube, the interior of which is used to generate the plasma;

[0018] A radio frequency coil is wound around the discharge tube;

[0019] A high-frequency power supply, electrically connected to the radio frequency coil, is used to apply a high-frequency voltage.

[0020] According to one embodiment of this application, the frequency of the high-frequency power supply is equal to the frequency of the bias power supply.

[0021] According to one embodiment of this application, the bias power supply includes a DC power supply; or,

[0022] The bias power supply includes a connected DC power supply and an RF power supply.

[0023] According to one embodiment of this application, it also includes:

[0024] A fuel proportioning device, connected to the second discharge section, is used for connecting to the fuel injection system of an external fusion reactor device; and / or

[0025] A purification device, connected to the first discharge section, is used to absorb the waste gas.

[0026] According to one embodiment of this application, the hydrogen-selective membrane has a feed side and a permeation side, and the inductively coupled plasma generator is disposed close to the feed side; the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device further includes:

[0027] A negative pressure mechanism, located near the permeation side, is used to evacuate the vacuum chamber and drive the plasma flow toward the feed side.

[0028] According to one embodiment of this application, the first cavity has a first inlet and a first outlet. The first inlet is connected to the gas supply section and disposed opposite to the hydrogen selective membrane. The first outlet is connected to the first discharge section, and the orientation of the first outlet is orthogonal to the orientation of the first inlet; and / or,

[0029] The second cavity has a second outlet, which is disposed opposite to the hydrogen-selective membrane, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second outlet is not less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the hydrogen-selective membrane; and / or,

[0030] Along the flow direction of the deuterium-tritium gas, the projection of the hydrogen-selective membrane lies within the projection of the inductively coupled plasma generator.

[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is one of the experimental comparison diagrams of the self-cleaning ability of hydrogen-selective membranes provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 This is the second experimental comparison diagram of the self-cleaning ability of the hydrogen-selective membrane provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 4 This is the third experimental comparison chart of the self-cleaning ability of the hydrogen-selective membrane provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0037] Figure label:

[0038] 100. Shell; 110. First cavity; 111. First inlet; 112. First outlet;

[0039] 120. Second cavity; 121. Second outlet;

[0040] 200. Inductively coupled plasma generator; 210. Discharge tube; 220. Radio frequency coil;

[0041] 300, hydrogen-selective membrane; 400, bias power supply;

[0042] 500. Insulating components. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0044] The following is for reference. Figures 1-4 This application describes a fusion reactor ash gas treatment device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device includes a housing 100, a gas supply unit, an inductively coupled plasma generator 200, a hydrogen selective membrane 300, a bias power supply 400, a first discharge unit, and a second discharge unit.

[0045] It should be noted that, as Figure 1 As shown, the arrows indicate the flow direction.

[0046] The casing 100 forms a vacuum chamber. A gas supply unit is used to input the exhaust gas generated in the fusion reaction chamber into the vacuum chamber. The casing 100 is made of materials including, but not limited to, stainless steel to withstand a certain vacuum and positive pressure. It should be noted that the size and shape of the vacuum chamber can be designed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0047] It should be noted that the components of the exhaust gas include, but are not limited to, unburned deuterium and tritium, helium, and small amounts of water and methane.

[0048] Understandably, forming a vacuum chamber through the shell 100 reduces the possibility of outside air entering the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device and causing pollution. It also facilitates precise control of the overall internal reaction environment, reduces interference from thermal diffusion on the separation process of various components in the ash gas, lowers energy consumption, and improves the safety and reliability of ash gas treatment. Furthermore, the input parameters of the ash gas are controlled through the coordination of the gas supply unit with related structures such as flow meters or pressure controllers, optimizing separation efficiency.

[0049] The inductively coupled plasma generator 200 is used to generate plasma from the ash removal gas input into the vacuum chamber. The plasma includes deuterium ions, tritium ions, and impurity ions.

[0050] It should be noted that the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 excites the exhaust gas through a high-frequency electromagnetic field, causing it to ionize and form plasma.

[0051] Understandably, using the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 to split the exhaust gas into plasma overcomes the gas diffusion rate and lowers the surface reaction energy barrier of the hydrogen selective membrane 300. This is beneficial for improving the screening of hydrogen isotope ions (including deuterium and tritium ions) by the hydrogen selective membrane 300, thereby improving the efficiency and precision of separation. Simultaneously, the plasma environment generated by the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 has a lower temperature, which can reduce energy consumption and material thermal stress, and reduce tritium retention. Furthermore, helium ions included in the impurity ions can strip carbon and oxygen impurities attached to the hydrogen selective membrane 300 through physical sputtering and chemical reactions, reducing the possibility of surface poisoning of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 and improving self-cleaning ability and classification efficiency.

[0052] A hydrogen-selective membrane 300 is disposed within a vacuum chamber, dividing the vacuum chamber into a first chamber 110 and a second chamber 120. An inductively coupled plasma generator 200 is at least partially located within the first chamber 110. Deuterium and tritium ions pass through the hydrogen-selective membrane 300 into the second chamber 120 and combine to form deuterium-tritium gas. A bias power supply 400 is electrically connected to the hydrogen-selective membrane and is used to apply a negative bias voltage. A first discharge section is connected to the first chamber 110 and is used to output waste gas (such as helium) formed by the combination of impurity ions that have not passed through the hydrogen-selective membrane 300. A second discharge section is connected to the second chamber 120 and is used to output deuterium-tritium gas. Exemplarily, the first and second discharge sections have pipes respectively connecting the first chamber 110 and the second chamber 120. The materials of the pipes include, but are not limited to, tritium-resistant materials such as stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, titanium alloys, zirconium alloys, graphite, and silicon carbide.

[0053] Understandably, by adjusting the bias voltage applied to the hydrogen selective membrane 300 by the bias power supply 400, the bombardment energy of the plasma can be controlled, so as to balance the permeation efficiency and the damage to the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 while controlling the plasma density using the inductively coupled plasma generator 200.

[0054] Meanwhile, plasma at low temperatures can also promote the permeability of deuterium-tritium permeable membranes. Compared with the multi-stage recovery of exhaust gas in related technologies, it can achieve one-step separation, reduce deuterium-tritium loss, and improve recovery efficiency.

[0055] Furthermore, timely discharge of deuterium-tritium gas through the second discharge section significantly reduces the residence time and volume of free tritium in the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device. This helps reduce tritium deposition and adsorption on pipe and device surfaces, improving the safety of the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device.

[0056] It is understood that the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device provided in this application embodiment has the following effects:

[0057] First, utilizing plasma formed at lower temperatures can promote the passage of deuterium and tritium ions, enabling the recovery of almost all deuterium and tritium fuel in a single operation. This reduces deuterium and tritium losses, improves fuel recycling efficiency, lowers heating power consumption, reduces heat loss, and alleviates the stress on various components (such as seals or the hydrogen selective membrane 300) caused by high temperatures, extending their service life. Simultaneously, low-temperature operation allows for faster start-up and shutdown of the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device, eliminating the need for prolonged heating and cooling, thus facilitating pulsed intermittent operation.

[0058] Second, by combining the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 and the hydrogen selective membrane 300, the large equipment such as the reaction tower and condenser required in related technologies can be eliminated, making the structure of the entire fusion reactor ash gas treatment device more compact. This facilitates the installation of the vacuum pumping system close to the fusion reactor device, which is beneficial to the overall layout optimization of the fusion reactor device and can also reduce the amount of maintenance work.

[0059] Since the deuterium and tritium gases are rapidly removed through the second exhaust section after generation, the residence time and volume of free tritium are reduced, which helps to reduce the deposition and adsorption of tritium in pipes and vacuum chambers and improve safety.

[0060] Third, the helium ions included in the impurity ions can remove impurities such as carbon and oxygen attached to the feed side of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 through physical bombardment and chemical reaction, thereby reducing the possibility of poisoning of the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 and improving its self-cleaning ability and classification efficiency.

[0061] Fourth, by adjusting the bias voltage applied to the hydrogen selective membrane 300 through the bias power supply 400, the bombardment energy of the plasma can be controlled. This allows for maintaining the power of the radio frequency coil 220 essentially constant while controlling the plasma density, thereby balancing the permeation efficiency and the damage to the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300.

[0062] The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device provided in the embodiments of this application realizes rapid treatment and recycling of ash gas. It is not only compact in structure and easy to operate, but also improves the recovery efficiency of deuterium and tritium gas, reduces energy consumption, protects the hydrogen selective membrane 300, and improves the reliability of operation.

[0063] In some embodiments, the hydrogen-selective membrane 300 includes a self-supporting palladium membrane.

[0064] Understandably, palladium films exhibit extremely high selective permeability to hydrogen isotopes (including deuterium and tritium). This means palladium can form stable palladium hydride (PdH) with hydrogen, allowing the film to preferentially adsorb and transport hydrogen isotopes while exhibiting very low permeability to other impurity ions (such as helium ions, carbon, and oxygen). Furthermore, palladium is a chemically stable metal with excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, enabling it to maintain stable structure and performance in complex plasma environments. Simultaneously, self-supporting design reduces reliance on other materials and facilitates flexible placement within the vacuum chamber, lowering the complexity and manufacturing cost of the device.

[0065] Of course, in other embodiments, a palladium layer can also be deposited on the substrate surface using magnetron sputtering technology to form a hydrogen-selective film 300. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0066] For example, Figure 2 The X-ray photon spectra of the 3d core energy levels of palladium in the self-supported palladium film under different conditions show the 3d core energy levels of palladium in the poisoned self-supported palladium film (as shown by the black line). 3 / 2 Peak and 3D 5 / 2 The peaks split into double peaks, indicating the formation of palladium oxide. The 3d peaks of palladium in the self-supported palladium film after helium ion cleaning (as shown by the red line) and the self-supported palladium film after poisoning and subsequent helium ion cleaning (as shown by the purple line) show significant changes. 3 / 2 Peak and 3D 5 / 2 All peaks are single peaks, thus effectively maintaining the strong metallicity of the self-supporting palladium film and improving the activity maintenance time of the self-supporting palladium film.

[0067] For example, Figure 3The X-ray photon spectra of the 1s core energy level of oxygen in the self-supporting palladium film under different conditions show that the self-supporting palladium film under poisoning (as shown by the black line) has two oxide peaks, while the self-supporting palladium film after helium ion cleaning (as shown by the red line) and the self-supporting palladium film after poisoning and then cleaning again with helium ions (as shown by the purple line) both have only one oxide peak. This effectively removes the oxide layer on the surface of the self-supporting palladium film and improves the activity maintenance time of the self-supporting palladium film.

[0068] For example, Figure 4 The X-ray photon spectra of the 1s core level of carbon in the self-supported palladium film under different conditions show that the self-supported palladium film under poisoning (as shown by the black line) contains two CO3 atoms. 2- The peak, and the self-supported palladium film after helium ion cleaning (as shown by the red line) and the self-supported palladium film after poisoning and helium ion cleaning again (as shown by the purple line) both contain only one CO3 peak. 2- The peak effectively removes the carbon layer deposited on the surface of the self-supporting palladium film, thereby improving the activity maintenance time of the self-supporting palladium film.

[0069] Of course, in some embodiments, a certain amount of helium gas can also be introduced into the first chamber 110 through the gas supply unit to ensure the self-cleaning capability of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 during operation. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0070] In some embodiments, the self-supporting palladium film is irradiated.

[0071] Understandably, irradiation treatment can alter the microstructure of a self-supporting palladium film by bombarding its surface with high-energy particles (such as electrons or ions). Irradiation treatment can increase the lattice defect density of the self-supporting palladium film, improving its resistance to deformation under complex environments. Simultaneously, irradiation treatment can create tiny pores or channels within the self-supporting palladium film, providing additional transport pathways for hydrogen isotopes and thus increasing the hydrogen permeability of the self-supporting palladium film.

[0072] For example, the irradiation treatment involves irradiating at least one surface of a self-supporting palladium film with irradiated ions at a dose of 1 × 10¹⁷ ions / cm². 2 ~8×10¹⁷ ions / cm 2 The irradiation energy of the ions is 15keV~2MeV, which improves the activation degree of the palladium surface of the self-supporting palladium film, changes the hydrogen isotope desorption / recombination coefficient at the gas-solid interface of the self-supporting palladium film, and increases the gas-solid conversion rate of hydrogen isotopes at the gas-solid interface, thereby enhancing the hydrogen isotope permeation and separation performance.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, an insulating element 500 is provided between the hydrogen selective membrane 300 and the inner wall of the vacuum chamber to achieve electrical isolation, increase creepage distance, and improve the independence of the operation of the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 and the bias power supply 400. It should be noted that the size and shape of the insulating layer can be designed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 includes a discharge tube 210, a radio frequency coil 220, and a high-frequency coil. The discharge tube 210 is used to generate the plasma; the radio frequency coil 220 is wound around the discharge tube 210; a high-frequency power supply is electrically connected to the radio frequency coil 220 to apply a high-frequency voltage. The discharge tube 210 includes, but is not limited to, a quartz discharge tube. The shape of the discharge tube 210 includes, but is not limited to, a cylindrical shape.

[0075] It should be noted that the high-frequency power supply provides the radio frequency coil 220 with a radio frequency current including but not limited to 13.56MHz, and the output power is adjustable within a range including but not limited to 50–500W, inducing a time-varying axial magnetic field, thereby generating a ring-shaped induced electric field inside the discharge tube 210. A small number of initial free electrons pre-existing within the discharge tube 210 are accelerated by the induced electric field and collide with hydrogen isotope molecules, completing the excitation, dissociation, and ionization processes, gradually forming a low-temperature inductively coupled plasma mainly composed of hydrogen isotope atoms and ions. Under stable operation of the inductively coupled plasma generator 200, the plasma density and volume are mainly determined by the input power and operating pressure of the radio frequency coil 220. That is, by adjusting the output power of the high-frequency power supply, the plasma density can be continuously adjusted without changing the internal structure of the discharge tube 210.

[0076] Understandably, the radio frequency coil 220, based on a high-frequency power supply, induces an electric field within the discharge tube 210 to generate the desired plasma; that is, the interior of the discharge tube 210 forms the first cavity 110. On one hand, since the plasma is generated by the high-frequency power supply in conjunction with the radio frequency coil 220 and the discharge tube 210, while the negative potential of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 is controlled by an independent bias power supply 400, physical and electrical separation is achieved between the two. This allows for decoupled control of plasma parameters; specifically, the power of the high-frequency power supply controls the plasma density and volume, while the voltage of the bias power supply 400 controls the plasma energy bombarding the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300. This avoids the contradiction of mutual constraint between the two in related technologies and improves the flexibility of the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device. On the other hand, the radio frequency coil 220, wound around the discharge tube 210, ensures a compact structure while reducing the occupancy of the first cavity 110, improving the chemical purity of the plasma and reducing the difficulty of treating the ash gas.

[0077] In some embodiments, the high-frequency power supply frequency is equal to the bias power supply frequency of 400 Hz.

[0078] It is understandable that, since the electron mass is much smaller than the ion mass, electrons are more sensitive to high-frequency electric field response during the radio frequency cycle. By making the frequency of the high-frequency power supply equal to the frequency of the bias power supply 400, an asymmetric current waveform is formed between the hydrogen selective membrane 300 and the plasma, thereby indirectly generating a bias voltage with a negative potential on the hydrogen selective membrane 300.

[0079] For example, both the bias power supply 400 and the high-frequency power supply use an RF power supply with a frequency of 13.56MHz.

[0080] In some other embodiments, the bias power supply 400 may include a DC power supply; or, the bias power supply 400 may include a DC power supply and a radio frequency power supply connected together.

[0081] It is understandable that the bias power supply 400 formed by directly using a DC power supply or a DC power supply and a radio frequency power supply can itself apply a negative bias voltage to the hydrogen selective membrane 300.

[0082] In some embodiments, the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device has a start-up operation mode, a normal operation mode, and a high-load operation mode; wherein...

[0083] When the start-up operation mode is activated, the high-frequency power supply is turned on when the current pressure value in the first cavity 110 reaches the preset pressure value, and the power of the radio frequency coil 220 is gradually increased to the preset ignition power to ignite the plasma; at the same time, the bias power supply 400 outputs the first preset bias voltage V1, 0≥V1≥-5V.

[0084] Under normal operating conditions, when the plasma is stably maintained and the temperature of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 reaches the preset temperature, the power of the RF coil 220 is adjusted to the rated power, and the bias power supply 400 outputs the second preset bias voltage V2, -10V≥V2≥-20V.

[0085] In high-load operation mode, the power of RF coil 220 is maintained at the rated power, and the bias power supply 400 outputs a third preset bias voltage V3, -40V≥V2≥-20V.

[0086] Understandably, in the startup operation mode, the negative pressure mechanism and gas supply unit are first activated to bring the current pressure value in the first chamber 110 to the preset pressure value. Then, the high-frequency power supply is turned on and the power of the radio frequency coil 220 is gradually increased to the predetermined ignition power to ignite the plasma. At the same time, the bias power supply 400 outputs a first preset bias voltage in the range of 0 to -5V, which can reduce the bombardment energy of ions and reduce sputtering damage to the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 before it is fully activated. When the plasma is stably maintained and the temperature of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 reaches the preset temperature, it can be determined that... The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device enters normal operation mode, thereby adjusting the power of the radio frequency coil 220 to its rated power and gradually increasing the negative bias of the bias power supply 400, so that its output of the second preset bias voltage of -10V to -20V can reach the bombardment energy of ions to about 10 to 20 eV. This enables deuterium and tritium ions to be efficiently dissociated, adsorbed, and dissolved into the hydrogen selective membrane 300, achieving a high superpermeability flux. During normal operation, the bias voltage can also be adjusted according to parameters such as the permeate flow rate, plasma emission spectrum, and surface temperature of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 monitored online. The output voltage of source 400 is finely adjusted to compensate for fluctuations in operating conditions, maintaining the ion bombardment energy within the optimal range and balancing permeation performance and the lifetime of hydrogen selective membrane 300. During prolonged normal operation or under high-impurity conditions, if a thick contamination layer or decreased permeation performance is detected on the surface of hydrogen selective membrane 300, a high-load operating mode can be actively switched. While maintaining a relatively constant power of RF coil 220, the bias power supply 400 outputs a third preset bias voltage within the range of -40V to -20V, increasing the ion bombardment energy to 20–40e. V, thereby enhancing the physical sputtering and reconstruction of the contaminant layer on the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300, realizing online regeneration of its surface. The duration of the regeneration process can be adjusted according to the recovery of the permeability performance of the hydrogen selective membrane 300, ranging from tens of seconds to several minutes. After the regeneration is completed, the bias power supply 400 is re-outputting the second preset bias voltage to switch back to stable operating conditions. This enables adaptive adjustment of the working state of the surface of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 according to the fusion reactor operating status and fuel recovery requirements, improving the operational flexibility and safety margin of the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the hydrogen-selective membrane 300 has a feed side and a permeation side, and the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 is located near the feed side; the fusion reactor ash removal device also includes a negative pressure mechanism located near the permeation side, used to evacuate the vacuum chamber and drive the plasma flow towards the feed side. The negative pressure mechanism includes, but is not limited to, a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump includes, but is not limited to, a dry pump or a tritium-encapsulated vacuum pump.

[0088] Understandably, the negative pressure mechanism creates negative pressure on the permeate side, generating a pressure difference and forming a vacuum environment. This drives the plasma to flow from the feed side to the permeate side, enhancing the contact efficiency between the plasma and the hydrogen-selective membrane 300, thereby improving separation efficiency. Simultaneously, the negative pressure reduces the residence time of impurity ions on the surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane 300, lowering the risk of surface contamination and improving reliability.

[0089] In some embodiments, the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device further includes a fuel blending device connected to the second discharge section for connection to the fuel injection system of the fusion reactor equipment. The fuel blending device includes, but is not limited to, a gas analyzer, a flow controller, and a gas mixing structure. It should be noted that the specific structure of the fuel blending device is common knowledge in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0090] Understandably, the fuel blending device directly receives the separated deuterium-tritium gas, and after component analysis, ratio adjustment and dosage distribution, it directly prepares fuel with a specific deuterium-tritium ratio and flow rate required for the current combustion conditions of the fusion reactor equipment. This fuel is then promptly delivered to the fusion reaction chamber through the fuel injection system, reducing the retention of deuterium-tritium gas and improving the reuse rate of exhaust gas.

[0091] In other embodiments, the fusion reactor ash treatment device further includes a hydrogen isotope storage bed connected to a second discharge section for absorbing deuterium-tritium gas. Exemplarily, the hydrogen isotope storage bed may be made of materials including, but not limited to, La-Ni alloy or ZrCo alloy.

[0092] Understandably, storing the deuterium-tritium gas in the second chamber 120 into the hydrogen isotope storage bed not only serves as a buffer to balance the supply and demand of deuterium-tritium gas, but also further purifies the deuterium-tritium gas during the absorption process, removing any possible residual impurities and ensuring that the deuterium-tritium fuel supplied to the fusion reaction chamber has higher purity.

[0093] In some embodiments, the hydrogen isotope storage bed is disposed within the second chamber 120 and located between the vacuum pump and the permeation side.

[0094] It is understandable that by first adsorbing deuterium and tritium gas through a hydrogen isotope storage bed, the risk of leakage caused by deuterium and tritium gas directly entering the vacuum pump can be reduced, and the deuterium and tritium gas formed through the permeation side can be quickly captured, thereby minimizing the amount of tritium trapped.

[0095] In some embodiments, the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device further includes a purification device connected to the first discharge section for absorbing the waste gas. The purification device includes, but is not limited to, an oxidation adsorption device.

[0096] It is understood that the components of the exhaust gas include, but are not limited to, unburned deuterium-tritium gas, helium, and small amounts of water, methane, and other impurities. By outputting the exhaust gas from the first chamber 110 to the purification device through the first discharge section, the small amount of tritium present in the exhaust gas can be removed to meet the requirements for discharge or recycling, thereby improving resource utilization and safety.

[0097] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first chamber 110 has a first inlet 111 and a first outlet 112. The first inlet 111 is connected to the gas supply section and is disposed opposite to the hydrogen selective membrane 300. The first outlet 112 is connected to the first discharge section, and the orientation of the first outlet 112 is orthogonal to the orientation of the first inlet 111. It should be noted that the shape and size of the first inlet 111 and the first outlet 112 can be designed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0098] Understandably, the first inlet 111 is positioned opposite to the hydrogen selective membrane 300, meaning the first inlet 111, the plasma generator, and the feed side are arranged sequentially to improve the uniformity of plasma flow to the hydrogen selective membrane 300 and the contact area, thereby increasing separation efficiency. Simultaneously, the first inlet 111 and the first outlet 112 are orthogonal, which reduces turbulence and backflow within the first cavity 110, provides flow stability, and makes the overall structure within the first cavity 110 more compact.

[0099] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first outlet 112 is provided with multiple outlets to increase the exhaust gas discharge rate and improve the treatment efficiency of the ash exhaust gas.

[0100] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, two first outlets 112 are provided, and the two first outlets 112 are arranged opposite to each other.

[0101] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second cavity 120 has a second outlet 121, which is disposed opposite to the hydrogen selective membrane 300, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second outlet 121 is not less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the hydrogen selective membrane 300. It should be noted that the shape and size of the second outlet 121 can be designed according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0102] Understandably, the second outlet 121 is positioned opposite to the permeation side, i.e., the first inlet 111, plasma generator, feed side, permeation membrane, and second outlet 121 are arranged sequentially to improve separation and recovery efficiency, reduce the residence time of deuterium-tritium gas in the second chamber 120, and improve the flow efficiency of deuterium-tritium gas. Simultaneously, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second outlet 121 is larger than that of the hydrogen selective membrane 300, which can reduce the flow velocity of deuterium-tritium gas at the second outlet 121, reducing energy consumption. Furthermore, the pressure on the permeation side is greater than the pressure at the second outlet 121 to ensure that the deuterium-tritium gas can flow rapidly to the second outlet 121, further reducing the residence time of deuterium-tritium gas in the second chamber 120.

[0103] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, along the flow direction of deuterium-tritium gas, the projection of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 is located within the projection of the inductively coupled plasma generator 200.

[0104] Understandably, placing the projection of the hydrogen selective membrane 300 along the flow direction of deuterium and tritium gas within the projection of the inductively coupled plasma generator 200 ensures that deuterium ions, tritium ions, and impurity ions can act directly and uniformly on the feed side of the hydrogen selective membrane 300, thereby improving separation efficiency and plasma utilization, as well as stability and reliability.

[0105] In some embodiments, the housing 100 is provided with a maintenance flange and an observation window that communicate with the vacuum chamber, so as to facilitate maintenance and monitoring of the conditions inside the vacuum chamber, so as to accurately control the discharge state of the plasma and the usage status of the hydrogen selective membrane 300, etc.

[0106] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0107] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0108] In the description of this application, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0109] In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more.

[0110] In the description of this application, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or it may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature between them.

[0111] In the description of this application, the terms "above," "over," and "on top" for the first feature and the second feature include the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature.

[0112] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0113] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A device for treating ash gas from a fusion reactor, characterized in that, include: The shell forms a vacuum chamber; A gas supply unit is used to input the exhaust gas generated in the fusion reaction chamber into the vacuum chamber. An inductively coupled plasma generator is used to generate plasma from the ash removal gas input into the vacuum chamber, the plasma comprising deuterium ions, tritium ions, and impurity ions; A hydrogen-selective membrane is disposed within the vacuum chamber and divides the vacuum chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. The inductively coupled plasma generator is at least partially located in the first chamber. The deuterium ions and the tritium ions pass through the hydrogen-selective membrane into the second chamber and combine to form deuterium-tritium gas. A bias power supply, electrically connected to the hydrogen selective membrane, is used to apply a bias voltage with a negative potential; The first discharge section is connected to the first cavity and is used to discharge the waste gas formed by the combination of the impurity ions that have not passed through the hydrogen selective membrane. The second discharge section, connected to the second cavity, is used to output the deuterium-tritium gas; wherein, The hydrogen-selective membrane includes a self-supporting palladium membrane, and the bias power supply is electrically connected to the self-supporting palladium membrane.

2. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-supporting palladium film is irradiated.

3. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to claim 1, characterized in that, An insulating element is provided between the hydrogen-selective membrane and the inner wall of the vacuum chamber.

4. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The inductively coupled plasma generator includes: A discharge tube, the interior of which is used to generate the plasma; A radio frequency coil is wound around the discharge tube; A high-frequency power supply, electrically connected to the radio frequency coil, is used to apply a high-frequency voltage.

5. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The frequency of the high-frequency power supply is equal to the frequency of the bias power supply.

6. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The bias power supply includes a DC power supply; or, The bias power supply includes a connected DC power supply and an RF power supply.

7. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: A fuel proportioning device, connected to the second discharge section, is used to connect to the fuel injection system of an external fusion reactor device; and / or A purification device, connected to the first discharge section, is used to absorb the waste gas.

8. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The hydrogen-selective membrane has a feed side and a permeation side, and the inductively coupled plasma generator is disposed near the feed side; the fusion reactor ash gas treatment device further includes: A negative pressure mechanism, located near the permeation side, is used to evacuate the vacuum chamber and drive the plasma flow toward the feed side.

9. The fusion reactor ash gas treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first cavity has a first inlet and a first outlet. The first inlet is connected to the gas supply section and is disposed opposite to the hydrogen selective membrane. The first outlet is connected to the first discharge section, and the orientation of the first outlet is orthogonal to the orientation of the first inlet. And / or, The second cavity has a second outlet, which is disposed opposite to the hydrogen-selective membrane, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second outlet is not less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the hydrogen-selective membrane; and / or, Along the flow direction of the deuterium-tritium gas, the projection of the hydrogen-selective membrane lies within the projection of the inductively coupled plasma generator.

Images