Tritium uptake by SS316 and its decontamination

As-received and highly polished SS316 specimens were loaded with HT at 473–573 K. The uptake by polished samples was found to be up to five times that of as-received ones, when loading was performed immediately after polishing. This disparity vanished when polished specimens were subjected to a prolonged exposure to air prior to loading. The tritium loss from tritium-loaded SS316 specimens was examined by chemical etching and by thermal release in a flow system using various carrier gases at several temperatures. While at moderate temperatures the type of carrier has an impact on the tritium release rate, at higher ones this effect disappears. Moisture in the carrier gas has little influence on the loss rate of bulk tritium. Etching depth profiles of specimens previously heat-treated in the presence of air or Ar + H2 and of untreated specimens are given. Evidence for chronic tritium liberation from SS316 at 298 K is provided.