Operational experience with the JET impurity processing system during and after DTE1

The hydrogen-containing gases generated during operation and maintenance of a fusion machine need to be detritiated prior their discharge to the environment. The amounts of gaseous impurities with their chemical and isotopic compositions which were decontaminated in the JET impurity processing system during and after Deuterium-Tritium Experiment, DTE1, are presented. Two different techniques for impurities detritiation were tested. The first technique is based on catalytic oxidation of hydrogen-containing species followed by water decomposition in reaction with uranium at elevated temperature. The second technique is based on direct decomposition of impurities with molecular hydrogen liberation in reactions with uranium at elevated temperatures. The results of the impurity detritiation using both techniques are given. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.