Tritium inventory control during ITER operation under carbon plasma-facing components by nitrogen-based plasma chemistry: a review

In spite of being highly suited for advanced plasma performance operation of tokamaks, as demonstrated over at least two decades of fusion plasma research, carbon is not currently considered as an integrating element of the plasma-facing components (PFCs) for the active phase of ITER. The main reason preventing its use under the very challenging scenarios foreseen in this phase, with edge-localized modes delivering several tens of MW m−2 to the divertor target every second or less, is the existing concern about reaching the tritium inventory value of 1000 g used in safety assessments in a time shorter than the projected lifetime of the divertor materials eroded by the plasma, set at 3000 shots. Although several mechanisms of tritium trapping in carbon components have been identified, co-deposition of the carbon radicals arising from chemically eroded chlorofluorocarbons in remote areas appears to play a dominant role. Several possible ways to keep control of the tritium build-up during the full operation of ITER have been put forward, mostly based on the periodic removal of the co-deposits by chemical (thermo-oxidation, plasma chemistry) or physical (laser, flash lamps) methods. In this work, we review the techniques for the inhibition and removal of tritium-rich co-deposits based on the strong chemical reactivity of some N-bearing molecules with carbon. The integration of these techniques into a possible scheme for tritium inventory control in the active phase of ITER under carbon-based PFCs with minimum down-time is discussed and the existing caveats are addressed.