Method and apparatus for separation of heavy and tritiated water

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:874182

Lee, Myung W ^[1]

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1. late of North Augusta, SC

The present invention is a bi-thermal membrane process for separating and recovering hydrogen isotopes from a fluid containing hydrogen isotopes, such as water and hydrogen gas. The process in accordance with the present invention provides counter-current cold and hot streams of the fluid separated with a thermally insulating and chemically transparent proton exchange membrane (PEM). The two streams exchange hydrogen isotopes through the membrane: the heavier isotopes migrate into the cold stream, while the lighter isotopes migrate into the hot stream. The heavy and light isotopes are continuously withdrawn from the cold and hot streams respectively.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-96SR18500
• Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 6332914
• OSTI ID: 874182
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
apparatus
separation
heavy
tritiated
water
bi-thermal
membrane
process
separating
recovering
hydrogen
isotopes
fluid
containing
gas
provides
counter-current
cold
hot
streams
separated
thermally
insulating
chemically
transparent
proton
exchange
pem
heavier
migrate
stream
lighter
light
continuously
withdrawn
hydrogen gas
tritiated water
/95/96/