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Title: Enrichment and volume reduction of tritiated water using combined electrolysis catalytic exchange

Conference · · Fusion Technol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5865702

The CECE process with AECL hydrophobic catalyst is ideally suited for extracting tritium from water because of its high separation factor and mild operating conditions. A simple linear expression that relates the overall rate constant (K/sub y/a) to the inverse of the equilibrium slope (m) for H/sub 2//H/sub 2/O isotope exchange was developed from the two-film mass transfer model. Laboratory and pilot data were used to demonstrate the applicability of this simple relationship which allows reaction rates for any pair of hydrogen isotope species at any given concentration to be predicted from rate dat of any other isotope pair and/or concentration range. This approach was used to design a hypothetical CECE plant for concentrating tritiated light water to 100 Ci/L (3.7 TBq.L) to give a 250-fold reduction in waste volume.

Research Organization:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, ON (Canada). Chalk River Nuclear Labs.
OSTI ID:
5865702
Report Number(s):
CONF-880505-
Journal Information:
Fusion Technol.; (United States), Vol. 14:2; Conference: 3. topical meeting on tritium technology in fission, fusion and isotopic applications, Toronto, Canada, 1-6 May 1988
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English