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Title: Apparatus for storing hydrogen isotopes

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for storing isotopes of hydrogen (especially tritium) are provided. The hydrogen gas(es) is (are) stored as hydrides of material (for example uranium) within boreholes in a block of copper. The mass of the block is critically important to the operation, as is the selection of copper, because no cooling pipes are used. Because no cooling pipes are used, there can be no failure due to cooling pipes. And because copper is used instead of stainless steel, a significantly higher temperature can be reached before the eutectic formation of uranium with copper occurs, (the eutectic of uranium with the iron in stainless steel forming at a significantly lower temperature).

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos, NM
  2. Houston, TX
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
865324
Patent Number(s):
4497775
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
apparatus; storing; hydrogen; isotopes; improved; method; especially; tritium; provided; gas; stored; hydrides; material; example; uranium; boreholes; block; copper; mass; critically; operation; selection; cooling; pipes; failure; due; stainless; steel; significantly; temperature; reached; eutectic; formation; occurs; iron; forming; hydrogen isotope; hydrogen gas; improved method; stainless steel; hydrogen isotopes; storing hydrogen; steel forming; failure due; /422/376/423/

Citation Formats

McMullen, John W, Wheeler, Michael G, Cullingford, Hatice S, and Sherman, Robert H. Apparatus for storing hydrogen isotopes. United States: N. p., 1985. Web.
McMullen, John W, Wheeler, Michael G, Cullingford, Hatice S, & Sherman, Robert H. Apparatus for storing hydrogen isotopes. United States.
McMullen, John W, Wheeler, Michael G, Cullingford, Hatice S, and Sherman, Robert H. Tue . "Apparatus for storing hydrogen isotopes". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865324.
@article{osti_865324,
title = {Apparatus for storing hydrogen isotopes},
author = {McMullen, John W and Wheeler, Michael G and Cullingford, Hatice S and Sherman, Robert H},
abstractNote = {An improved method and apparatus for storing isotopes of hydrogen (especially tritium) are provided. The hydrogen gas(es) is (are) stored as hydrides of material (for example uranium) within boreholes in a block of copper. The mass of the block is critically important to the operation, as is the selection of copper, because no cooling pipes are used. Because no cooling pipes are used, there can be no failure due to cooling pipes. And because copper is used instead of stainless steel, a significantly higher temperature can be reached before the eutectic formation of uranium with copper occurs, (the eutectic of uranium with the iron in stainless steel forming at a significantly lower temperature).},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985}
}