Laser-assisted isotope separation of tritium

Patent · Tue Oct 25 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5483086

Herman, I P; Marling, J B

Methods are disclosed for laser-assisted isotope separation of tritium, using infrared multiple photon dissociation of tritium-bearing products in the gas phase. One such process involves the steps of (1) catalytic exchange of a deuterium-bearing molecule XYD with tritiated water DTO from sources such as a heavy water fission reactor, to produce the tritium-bearing working molecules XYT and (2) photoselective dissociation of XYT to form a tritium-rich product. By an analogous procedure, tritium is separated from tritium-bearing materials that contain predominately hydrogen such as a light water coolant from fission or fusion reactors.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): US 4411755
• OSTI ID: 5483086
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400303* -- Organic Chemistry-- Isotope Exchange & Isotope Separation-- (-1987)
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
COOLANTS
DEUTERIUM
GAS LASERS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
ISOTOPES
LASER ISOTOPE SEPARATION
LASERS
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STABLE ISOTOPES
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES