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[en] The irradiation experiments EXOTIC-1, 2 and 3 are part of the European Fusion Technology Programme on Blanket Technology and are carried out as a joint project by SL Springfields, SCK/CEN Mol and ECN Petten in collaboration with JRC Petten. In the present paper, the characteristics of the as-fabricated and of the irradiated pellets of the EXTIC-3 experiment are described and compared to the results obtained in the two preceeding experiments, with particular attention for the integrity of the irradiated pellets, their dimensional stability, vitrification effects and tritium retention. (author) 8 refs.; 3 tabs

[en] The irradiation experiments EXOTIC-1 and 2 fit in the European Fusion Technology Programme and are carried out as a joint project by SNL Springfields, SCK/CEN Mol and ECN Petten in collaboration with JRC Petten. The SCK/CEN contribution to these experiments consists in five vented capsules containing lithium metasilicate pellets with varying stoichiometry, density, grain size, pore size and ⁶Li content. The irradiations lasted respectively 25 FPD and 50 FPD. This paper compares the characteristics of the as-fabricated and irradiated pellets and discusses the structural changes which occurred during irradiation. Results on retained tritium are also given. (orig.)

[en] Tritium residence times have been determined for various ceramic tritium breeding materials from in-situ release measurements. The irradiations, codenamed EXOTIC (EXtraction Of Tritium In Ceramics), were carried out in the High Flux Reactor (HFR) Petten. During the irradiation more than 450 transients were performed and the corresponding tritium release measured. Materials supplied by SCK/CEN (Li₂ZrO₃), CEA (Li₂ZrO₃ and LiAlO₂), ENEA (LiAlO₂), KfK (Li₄SiO₄), NRL (Li₆Zr₂O₇) and ECN (Li₈ZrO₆) were irradiated in EXOTIC-5 to compare the tritium residence times obtained under equal conditions. Apart from differences in density, grain size, pore size and OPV it appeared that the tritium residence times of the lithium zirconates (pellets) were shorter than those of the Li₄SiO₄ pebbles. The tritium residence times of the Li₄SiO₄ pebbles were shorter than those of the LiAlO₂ pellets. (author). 7 refs.; 5 figs.; 3 tabs