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This paper presents a semi-quantitative hazard complexity framework for selecting secondary containment architectures for flowing liquid lithium systems intended for fusion reactor applications. The framework is applied to six representative containment scenarios and to the Lithium Experimental Application Platform (LEAP), currently under construction at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, which uses a modular, room-scale argon gloveroom as an inert secondary containment boundary. The analysis concludes that an airtight inert enclosure without gas scrubbers offers a practical and deployable balance between hazard mitigation and facility complexity for liquid lithium plasma-facing component development.
Why it matters
Flowing liquid lithium is a candidate technology for renewable plasma-facing surfaces in fusion reactors, helping manage heat exhaust and fuel recovery, but its deployment has been hindered by chemical reactivity and safety challenges. This work provides a transferable design logic that could accelerate the safe deployment of liquid metal systems in both fusion research facilities and future reactor concepts.
arXiv:2605.16329v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Flowing liquid lithium is a promising fusion technology because it can provide a renewable Plasma-Facing Component (PFC) surface, modify recycling, support power exhaust, and potentially connect plasma-facing components with fuel recovery. Its deployment, however, is limited by the need to manage chemical reactivity, fire and aerosol hazards, inert gas operation, maintainability, and rapid experimental iteration. This paper develops a semi-quantitative hazard complexity framework for selecting secondary containment architectures for flowing liquid lithium systems. The framework is applied to six representative containment scenarios and to the Lithium Experimental Application Platform (LEAP) at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. LEAP is under construction with a modular, room-scale argon gloveroom as an inert secondary containment boundary for a staged flowing lithium program with heating, diagnostics, magnetic field exposure, and future device interface capability. The analysis shows that an inert, airtight secondary enclosure without scrubbers around a liquid lithium loop provides a practical balance between hazard reduction and facility complexity, as defined by the design requirements. The resulting architecture offers a deployable path for lithium PFC development and a transferable design logic for other reactive or conductive liquid metal systems.