DERIvATE: Deployable ElectRochemIcally Assisted Tritium dEtection
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Engineering
Abstract
Tritium is a radioactive hydrogen isotope made in nuclear reactors, often present as tritiated water (HTO) in spent fuel cooling ponds, reprocessing effluents and waste treatment facilities. HTO behaves identically to water, i.e., it is highly mobile in the environment and human tissue and can be an indicator of significantly greater radiotoxins (Cs-137, Sr-90) migrating in the ground. Thus, there are pressing safety, environmental and economic needs for fast, accurate and precise measurement of tritium around nuclear sites and in the waste-streams arising from their operation and decommissioning.
Tritium is a low-energy beta emitter. It is therefore not easily detected based on the radiation it emits and its half-life is too long (12.3 years) to wait for it to decay away. Lancaster University have devised a novel technique whereby tritium is selectively and reversibly sequestered by palladium from HTO, and pre-concentrated to a level detected easily by in-situ scintillation counting. Collaborators, Hybrid Instruments Ltd., have recently developed two prototype devices that utilise this technique. Building on this established partnership, this project aims to embed a digital researcher to develop the two prototype instruments so that they can be operated as a digital network of in-situ monitors for automated, fast and interference-free waterborne tritium monitoring.
Research beneficiaries include the UK nuclear industry (site licensees and their supply chain), regulators, the public and academia. The knowledge generated will allow industry to meet regulatory requirements more effectively. Current monitoring involves ex-situ sample analysis that is slow and expensive. The proposed technology will provide regulators with easily deployable and cost-effective tools, reducing the burden to taxpayers, enabling faster detection and greater public confidence in land monitoring in and around nuclear sites.
Keywords: tritium; instrumentation; electrochemistry; real-time; groundwater monitoring.
Tritium is a low-energy beta emitter. It is therefore not easily detected based on the radiation it emits and its half-life is too long (12.3 years) to wait for it to decay away. Lancaster University have devised a novel technique whereby tritium is selectively and reversibly sequestered by palladium from HTO, and pre-concentrated to a level detected easily by in-situ scintillation counting. Collaborators, Hybrid Instruments Ltd., have recently developed two prototype devices that utilise this technique. Building on this established partnership, this project aims to embed a digital researcher to develop the two prototype instruments so that they can be operated as a digital network of in-situ monitors for automated, fast and interference-free waterborne tritium monitoring.
Research beneficiaries include the UK nuclear industry (site licensees and their supply chain), regulators, the public and academia. The knowledge generated will allow industry to meet regulatory requirements more effectively. Current monitoring involves ex-situ sample analysis that is slow and expensive. The proposed technology will provide regulators with easily deployable and cost-effective tools, reducing the burden to taxpayers, enabling faster detection and greater public confidence in land monitoring in and around nuclear sites.
Keywords: tritium; instrumentation; electrochemistry; real-time; groundwater monitoring.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Michael Aspinall (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | Ability to reliably and robustly coat CaF2(EU) or glass with palladium using a sputter coating. |
| Exploitation Route | Evaluate the palladium coating for the sequestration of tritium using an electrochemical pre-concentration technique. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | GC-164 Rapid, interference free measurement of waterborne tritium (follow-on funding) |
| Amount | £65,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Sellafield Ltd |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2022 |
| End | 03/2023 |
| Description | Named collaborator: Hybrid Instruments Ltd. |
| Organisation | Hybrid Instruments Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Opportunity for UK company to break into new market. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Hybrid Instrument team is expert in ultra-fast digital instrumentation design and real-time digital signal processing for radiation measurements with a track record in delivering bespoke hardware with these capabilities. |
| Impact | Detailed design of electronics for inclusion in reports and steering R&D activities; core project deliverables. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | UK Atomic Energy Authority, Fusion Industry Programme (FIP) Voucher scheme |
| Organisation | Culham Centre for Fusion Energy |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Evaluation of a novel tritium sequestration and detection technique. Research of significant interest to the Helium-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT) group at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to expertises, preparation of active samples, use of specialist laboratory equipment. |
| Impact | Award a £50k voucher to conduct experimental work at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) tritium laboratory. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Title | Tritium Measurement |
| Description | Tritium measurement using solid state scintillation detectors and electrochemical pre-concentration. |
| IP Reference | UK Patent Application No. 1402296.6 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2022 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | TBD |
| Description | Appointed as Senior Expert of the NERC Constructing a Digital Environment Expert Network, 2022/23. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The NERC/UKRI 'Constructing a Digital Environment' Programme (www.digitalenvironment.org) is an exciting challenge, set to develop for the first time the thinking and practice around a 'digitally enabled environment', providing benexfits for policy makers, businesses, communities and individuals. The focus of the programme is the combination of environmental science, with computer science, data science and behavioural science. Key to the programme is the appointment of an Expert Network of leading influencer-practitioners, thought-leaders, and scientific and technical authorities whose work will identify best practices in 'digital environment' and help influence UK environmental policy thinking, drawing on expertise in the methodologies and tools for assessing, analysing, monitoring and forecasting the state of the natural environment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://digitalenvironment.org/home/digital-environment-expert-network/#MichaelAspinall |
| Description | Engaged with the Senior Trade Officer (Nuclear) at the British Embassy in Tokyo |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Hybrid Instruments Ltd connected with Senior Trade Officer (Nuclear) at the British Embassy in Tokyo and now invited to monthly meetings hosted by the nuclear advisor of the embassy. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate with the UK Nuclear supply chain on the current situation on the market and communicate about the latest opportunities found on the market. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Game Changer Incubator programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Incubator Programme Widen your commercial horizons, identify new markets and prepare to grow your business or idea. Organisations receiving funding through Game Changers can now apply to join our Incubator Programme and receive industry-leading training and business mentoring. The programme launched in 2020 with six participants and has now evolved to include bespoke training and networking opportunities, designed to help participants develop a commercialisation strategy for their technology and gain a unique insight into the nuclear sector. You can learn more about the programme at https://www.gamechangers.technology/team/incubator. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.gamechangers.technology/team/incubator |
| Description | Game Changers Innovation Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Game Changers Innovation Festival, 11th May 2022, at the Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven, this provided a perfect opportunity to engage with key Sellafield personnel. "Join us for ice-cream and innovation at the Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven. Create new connections and learn about cutting edge technology, as well as complex challenges within nuclear. The event will include demos and exhibitions, lightning talks and bookable meeting slots." https://www.gamechangers.technology/static/u/Final%20programme%202.pdf |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.gamechangers.technology/events/Game_Changers_Innovation_Festival |
| Description | Low-Level Waste Repository (LLWR) and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) discussions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Discussions have been held with Low-Level Waste Repository (LLWR) and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) regarding the Technical Baseline and Underpinning Research and Development (TBURD) strategy document. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | NDA 9th Supply Chain Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The biggest networking event in Europe for nuclear decommissioning Game Changers included a slide on the GC-164 project in their presentation at the 9th NDA supply chain event at the International Centre, Telford on 21st July 2022. This event is organised by the industry for the industry. The event attracts 1700 delegates, providing opportunities to network with more than 300 exhibiting companies. With a particular focus on SMEs, the aim is to attract new business to the nuclear decommissioning sector. https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/2263a42b-a43a-4061-a960-f0715be47457/summary?rt=r2rIAq6C3USvF3h_0MFaww https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nda-announces-new-date-for-its-group-supply-chain-event-2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nda-announces-new-date-for-its-group-supply-chain-event-2022 |