Operating experience review of tritium-in-water monitors

Monitoring tritium facility and fusion experiment effluent streams is an environmental safety requirement. This paper presents data on the operating experience of a solid scintillant monitor for tritium in effluent water. Operating experiences were used to calculate an average monitor failure rate of 4E−05/h for failure to function. Maintenance experiences were examined to find the active repair time for this type of monitor, which varied from 22 min for filter replacement to 11 days of downtime while waiting for spare parts to arrive on site. These data support planning for monitor use; the number of monitors needed, allocating technician time for maintenance, inventories of spare parts, and other issues.

► We examined the operations of tritium-in-water monitors to calculate the monitor failure rate.
► We also examined maintenance needs of tritium-in-water monitors.
► The failure rate is 4E−05/h and sample water pump problems contribute to maintenance needs.