The Lithium Evaporation EXperiment (LEEX) campaign on the Hybrid Illinois Device for Research and Applications (HIDRA) investigates helium retention effects induced by in-operando lithium evaporations into HIDRA. Lithium droplets were applied to tungsten samples and then exposed to a 600 s helium plasma at different distances, D, from the plasma edge. LEEX data has confirmed previous results at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign of in-operando lithium evaporations producing a low recycling regime for HIDRA helium plasmas and additionally proves the retained species is helium. The lithium evaporation from the D = 25 mm case had an 85.3% ± 1% increase in helium retention in the low recycling regime when compared to the steady state plasma of the LEEX control shot. Data presented substantiates previous helium retention claims and advances research surrounding liquid metal PFCs. A retention mechanism has not been identified, but further research utilizing HIDRA aims to investigate this. This study’s outcomes are thoroughly presented and provides additional justification for conducting further research on lithium’s behavior in fusion environments, given its substantial potential impact on the development of PFCs.

伊利诺伊州混合研究与应用装置 (HIDRA) 上的锂蒸发实验 (LEEX) 活动研究了操作中锂蒸发到 HIDRA 中引起的氦保留效应。将锂滴施加到钨样品上，然后在距等离子体边缘不同距离 D 处暴露于 600 s 氦等离子体。LEEX 数据证实了伊利诺伊大学香槟分校先前的结果锂蒸发产生 HIDRA 氦等离子体的低回收率，并另外证明保留的物质是氦。与 LEEX 控制喷射的稳态等离子体相比，在低回收状态下，D = 25 mm 情况下的锂蒸发使氦保留量增加了 85.3% ± 1%。提供的数据证实了之前的氦保留声明并推进了围绕液态金属 PFC 的研究。保留机制尚未确定，但利用 HIDRA 的进一步研究旨在调查这一点。鉴于锂对 PFC 发展的巨大潜在影响，这项研究的结果得到了全面的阐述，并为进一步研究锂在聚变环境中的行为提供了额外的理由。