In deuterium–tritium (D+T) fusion, helium is the primary reaction by-product and an essential performance indicator. Standard Quadrupole Mass Spectrometers (QMS) cannot readily distinguish helium from molecular deuterium at the same mass-to-charge (m/z=4), which undermines accurate helium quantification, fuel-cycle optimisation and real-time safety diagnostics.

Nova Fabrica’s Inteleg® S with SPOES RGA (Optical Gas Analyser) tracks species by their optical emission signatures rather than mass peaks. Helium is measured via characteristic He I lines (e.g., 587.6 nm, 667.8 nm), while Balmer emissions (Hα 656.3 nm, Hβ 486.1 nm) provide context on fuel state and plasma conditions. The result is unambiguous helium indication in real time, complementing QMS data without intrusive probes.

• Clear Helium Signal: Eliminates the He/D2 overlap at m/z=4 for trustworthy efficiency tracking.
• Actionable Fuel-Cycle Insight: Spectroscopic context improves fuelling, exhaust conditioning and ash removal decisions.
• Fewer Interruptions: Non-intrusive optics support continuous monitoring, reducing maintenance overheads.
• Broader Diagnostics: Real-time leak detection, vacuum quality trending, pump-down analysis and fault signatures.

• Technique/Method: Spectroscopic Plasma Optical Emission-based Gas Analysis (SPOES RGA / Optical Gas Analyser)
• Spectral/Signal Coverage: Application-dependent; typical lines include He I (587.6 nm, 667.8 nm); Balmer Hα (656.3 nm), Hβ (486.1 nm)
• Temporal Performance: Continuous real-time monitoring; integration time selected for required SNR
• Operating Conditions: Gas analysis feasible from 7.5×10⁻⁷ to 0.75 Torr (1.0×10⁻⁶ to 1.0 mbar)
• Interfaces/IO: Ethernet-based data acquisition via Inteleg® Systems; automation-ready
• Form Factor/Integration: Non-intrusive coupling to reactor exhaust/vacuum path; retrofit-friendly

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• Compared with QMS-only RGAs, SPOES provides an unambiguous helium indication even when D2 is present at m/z=4, enabling clearer operational decisions.
• Intrusive probes (e.g., Langmuir) can perturb plasmas and require upkeep; Inteleg® is non-intrusive and designed for continuous monitoring.

SPOES RGA / OGA — https://www.novafabrica.biz/solutions/spoes-rga-pga