Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

Tritium separation from light and heavy water by bipolar electrolysis

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5763012· OSTI ID:5763012
; ; ; ; ;

Use of bipolar electrolysis with countercurrent electrolyte flow to separate hydrogen isotopes was investigated for the removal of tritium from light water effluents or from heavy water moderator. Deuterium-tritium and protium-tritium separation factors occurring on a Pd-25% Ag bipolar electrode were measured to be 2.05 to 2.16 and 11.6 to 12.4 respectively, at current densities between 0.21 and 0.50 A cm/sup -2/, and at 35 to 90/sup 0/C. Current densities up to 0.3 A cm/sup -2/ have been achieved in continuous operation, at 80 to 90/sup 0/C, without significant gas formation on the bipolar electrodes. From the measured overvoltage at the bipolar electrodes and the electrolyte conductivity the power consumption per stage was calculated to be 3.0 kwh/kg H/sub 2/O at 0.2 A cm/sup -2/ and 5.0 kwh/kg H/sub 2/O at 0.5 A cm/sup -2/ current density, compared to 6.4 and 8.0 kwh/kg H/sub 2/O for normal electrolysis. A mathematical model derived for hydrogen isotope separation by bipolar electrolysis, i.e., for a square cascade, accurately describes the results for protium-tritium separation in two laboratory scale, multistage experiments with countercurrent electrolyte flow; the measured tiritum concentration gradient through the cascade agreed with the calculated values.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
5763012
Report Number(s):
ORNL-5581
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Hydrogen isotope separation by bipolar electrolysis with countercurrent electrolyte flow
Conference · Mon Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1980 · Sep. Sci. Technol.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6674992
Tritium isotope separation from light and heavy water by bipolar electrolysis
Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1979 · OSTI ID:5378667
Transfer of hydrogen isotopes through a hydrogen-permeable bipolar electrode
Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Sov. Radiochem. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) · OSTI ID:5927357

Related Subjects

060100 -- Fusion Fuels-- Sources-- (-1987)
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400203 -- Isotope Exchange & Isotope Separation-- (-1987)
400703* -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Radioisotope Production
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
CURRENT DENSITY
DEUTERIUM
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LYSIS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
POWER DEMAND
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STABLE ISOTOPES
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES