Laser-assisted isotope separation of tritium

Patent · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:864751

Herman, Irving P ^[1]; Marling, Jack B ^[2]

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1. Castro Valley, CA
2. Livermore, CA

Methods 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.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Herman, Irving P. (Castro Valley, CA);Marling, Jack B. (Livermore, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4411755
• OSTI ID: 864751
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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/204/376/976/
analogous
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dto
exchange
fission
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form
fusion
fusion reactor
fusion reactors
gas
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heavy
heavy water
hydrogen
infrared
involves
isotope
isotope separation
laser-assisted
laser-assisted isotope
light
light water
materials
methods
molecule
molecules
multiple
multiple photon
phase
photon
photoselective
predominately
procedure
process
process involves
produce
product
products
reactor
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separated
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sources
steps
tritiated
tritiated water
tritium
tritium-bearing
tritium-rich
water
water coolant
xyd
xyt