The ITER project calls for an unprecedented amount of hydrogen isotopes to be processed. To facilitate environmental responsibility and economic application of fusion technology, the re-use of hydrogen isotopes is vital. The US ITER Project Office (USIPO) is responsible for the front end of the ITER Tritium Plant, the Tokamak Exhaust Processing (TEP) System. The TEP system must separate the Tokamak exhaust gases into a stream containing only hydrogen isotopes and a stream containing only non-hydrogen gases. The US's implementation of the TEP system will provide a technically mature, robust, and cost-effective solution for the separation of hydrogen isotopes from the Tokamak exhaust stream.

The USIPO has selected the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in partnership with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to complete the TEP portion of the project. The TEP system consists of a series of filters, catalysts and permeators to achieve a timely separation of hydrogen isotopes from all other species contained in the Tokamak exhaust. The hydrogen isotopes are then sent to a system, furnished by the EU, to deliver deuterium and Tritium for continuous re-injection into the Tokamak. The TEP system must therefore be rugged, maintainable, and have enough surge capacity to meet the anticipated life of 20 years.