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Title: Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters

Abstract

Tritium and deuterium are separated from a gaseous mixture thereof, derived from a nuclear fusion reactor or some other source, by providing a casing with a bulk getter therein for absorbing the gaseous mixture to produce an initial loading of the getter, partially desorbing the getter to produce a desorbed mixture which is tritium-enriched, pumping the desorbed mixture into a separate container, the remaining gaseous loading in the getter being deuterium-enriched, desorbing the getter to a substantially greater extent to produce a deuterium-enriched gaseous mixture, and removing the deuterium-enriched mixture into another container. The bulk getter may comprise a zirconium-aluminum alloy, or a zirconium-vanadium-iron alloy. The partial desorption may reduce the loading by approximately fifty percent. The basic procedure may be extended to produce a multistage isotope separator, including at least one additional bulk getter into which the tritium-enriched mixture is absorbed. The second getter is then partially desorbed to produce a desorbed mixture which is further tritium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed from the container for the second getter, which is then desorbed to a substantially greater extent to produce a desorbed mixture which is deuterium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed so that the cycle can bemore » continued and repeated. The method of isotope separation is also applicable to other hydrogen isotopes, in that the method can be employed for separating either deuterium or tritium from normal hydrogen. 4 figures.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7031423
Patent Number(s):
5041147
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-623837
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-76CH03073
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 7 Dec 1990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
07 ISOTOPES AND RADIATION SOURCES; DEUTERIUM; ISOTOPE SEPARATION; GETTERS; SORPTIVE PROPERTIES; TRITIUM; ADSORPTION; DESORPTION; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; HYDROGEN ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; ODD-ODD NUCLEI; RADIOISOTOPES; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SORPTION; STABLE ISOTOPES; SURFACE PROPERTIES; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; 070100* - Physical Isotope Separation

Citation Formats

Knize, R J, and Cecchi, J L. Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters. United States: N. p., 1991. Web.
Knize, R J, & Cecchi, J L. Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters. United States.
Knize, R J, and Cecchi, J L. Tue . "Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters". United States.
@article{osti_7031423,
title = {Hydrogen isotope separation utilizing bulk getters},
author = {Knize, R J and Cecchi, J L},
abstractNote = {Tritium and deuterium are separated from a gaseous mixture thereof, derived from a nuclear fusion reactor or some other source, by providing a casing with a bulk getter therein for absorbing the gaseous mixture to produce an initial loading of the getter, partially desorbing the getter to produce a desorbed mixture which is tritium-enriched, pumping the desorbed mixture into a separate container, the remaining gaseous loading in the getter being deuterium-enriched, desorbing the getter to a substantially greater extent to produce a deuterium-enriched gaseous mixture, and removing the deuterium-enriched mixture into another container. The bulk getter may comprise a zirconium-aluminum alloy, or a zirconium-vanadium-iron alloy. The partial desorption may reduce the loading by approximately fifty percent. The basic procedure may be extended to produce a multistage isotope separator, including at least one additional bulk getter into which the tritium-enriched mixture is absorbed. The second getter is then partially desorbed to produce a desorbed mixture which is further tritium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed from the container for the second getter, which is then desorbed to a substantially greater extent to produce a desorbed mixture which is deuterium-enriched. The last-mentioned mixture is then removed so that the cycle can be continued and repeated. The method of isotope separation is also applicable to other hydrogen isotopes, in that the method can be employed for separating either deuterium or tritium from normal hydrogen. 4 figures.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Tue Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}

Patent:
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