Li2TiO3 pebble preparation by extrusion spheronization and sintering process for fusion blanket application
Dept.of Mechanical Engineering (M.E,Production),AITS,Rajkot, India
ABSTRACT
India is developing β-Li2TiO3 Lithium Titanate at Institute for Plasma Research. Lithium titanate will be kept inside the canisters of TBM (Test Blanket Module) in International thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) in form of spherical pebble bed. Typical size range of these pebbles would be ~ 1 mm. Lithium titanate (Li2TiO3) ceramic powder development is currently on-going by the solid state reaction process. Reactant material is calcined at (500oC 600oC 700 oC 800oC 900 oC 1000 oC 1050 oC 1100 oC and 1150oC) at 4 hr, 8hr and 12hr. the optimization of solid state reaction is carried out by XRD(Xray Diffraction), and Li2TiO3 Powder has been prepared at 1000oC 4hr.further lithium titanate powder is passed through the process of ceramic extrusion –spheronization-Sintering of ceramics to Prepare spherical Pebble. At every stage of powder and pebble preparation extensive characterization has been carried out. Several physical and mechanical properties are characterized. Sintering parameters of the Li2TiO3 pebbles are also optimized. Surface morphology study of Li2TiO3 pebbles are also discussed in this paper
