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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Hydrogen iodide decomposition

Patent ·
OSTI ID:864743

Liquid hydrogen iodide is decomposed to form hydrogen and iodine in the presence of water using a soluble catalyst. Decomposition is carried out at a temperature between about 350.degree. K. and about 525.degree. K. and at a corresponding pressure between about 25 and about 300 atmospheres in the presence of an aqueous solution which acts as a carrier for the homogeneous catalyst. Various halides of the platinum group metals, particularly Pd, Rh and Pt, are used, particularly the chlorides and iodides which exhibit good solubility. After separation of the H.sub.2, the stream from the decomposer is countercurrently extracted with nearly dry HI to remove I.sub.2. The wet phase contains most of the catalyst and is recycled directly to the decomposition step. The catalyst in the remaining almost dry HI-I.sub.2 phase is then extracted into a wet phase which is also recycled. The catalyst-free HI-I.sub.2 phase is finally distilled to separate the HI and I.sub.2. The HI is recycled to the reactor; the I.sub.2 is returned to a reactor operating in accordance with the Bunsen equation to create more HI.

Research Organization:
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-80ET26225
Assignee:
GA Technologies Inc. (San Diego, CA)
Patent Number(s):
4,410,505
Application Number:
06/459,680
OSTI ID:
864743
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English