Optical Stimulated Luminescence Detection of Beryllium within Nuclear Fusion Facilities (OSLB)

Public description
Nuclear fusion is a long term solution to the future energy supply of the planet. It is carbon free and highly efficient. However, the inside of a fusion reactor is an unforgiving environment: components are exposed to high temperatures, energetic hydrogen ions and electrons with high kinetic energies, and 14 MeV neutrons. Metallic surfaces are essential in a fusion reactor, with beryllium (Be) one of the candidates implemented in the Joint European Torus (JET). Its unique combination of low atomic mass, low fuel retention and favourable mechanical properties make it a good choice as a first wall (plasma facing) material within experimental and commercial fusion reactors. However, human exposure to Be and its compounds can cause berylliosis, a chronic allergic-type lung response and chronic lung disease.

During a reactor's operational lifetime, sections will need to be periodically removed for refurbishment or replacement. These components will become radioactive and covered in Be/BeO deposits due to particle induced sputtering and re-deposition. These deposits can form Be/BeO dust. Therefore, the ability to handle Be dust and components contaminated with this dust is essential to safe and efficient operation of a fusion plant. At present, within the UK based JET facility, this issue is addressed by personal cleaning all the surfaces of the site. This is time consuming and potentially hazardous. No sensing solution currently exists to quickly and accurately identify the Be/ BeO deposits within a given facility.

This proposal seeks to develop a new sensing system target BeO deposits. The focus of the development will the production of a new prototype sensor and a robotic platform that will be used to scan the instrument at the target within the environment. The system will take in account the challenges for working in this high radiation regime.

The instrument will be tested against target samples, both in the laboratory and a representative test environment. The key objective is to demonstrate that the unit can detect deposits at the required levels of accuracy with minimal false positive returns, as well as examining the speed at which an sample area can be scanned. In addition, designs will be produce for radiation hardened options using both Rad hard detector and ultra low cost options where the camera can be considered disposable.