Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium

Patent · Thu Aug 03 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6123352

Galloway, T R

The improvement in a tritium control system is based on a catalytic oxidation reactor wherein accidental releases of tritium into room air are controlled by flooding the catalytic oxidation reactor with hydrogen when the tritium concentration in the room air exceeds a specified limit. The sudden flooding with hydrogen heats the catalyst to a high temperature within seconds, thereby greatly increasing the catalytic oxidation rate of tritium to tritiated water vapor. Thus, the catalyst is heated only when needed. In addition to the heating effect, the hydrogen flow also swamps the tritium and further reduces the tritium release.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): None
• OSTI ID: 6123352
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700206* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Environmental Aspects
ACCIDENTS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAINMENT
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXIDATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RECOVERY
REMOVAL
TRITIUM
TRITIUM RECOVERY
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES