Apparatus for storing hydrogen isotopes

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865324

McMullen, John W ^[1]; Wheeler, Michael G ^[1]; Cullingford, Hatice S ^[2]; Sherman, Robert H ^[1]

---

1. Los Alamos, NM
2. Houston, TX

An improved method and apparatus for storing isotopes of hydrogen (especially tritium) are provided. The hydrogen gas(es) is (are) stored as hydrides of material (for example uranium) within boreholes in a block of copper. The mass of the block is critically important to the operation, as is the selection of copper, because no cooling pipes are used. Because no cooling pipes are used, there can be no failure due to cooling pipes. And because copper is used instead of stainless steel, a significantly higher temperature can be reached before the eutectic formation of uranium with copper occurs, (the eutectic of uranium with the iron in stainless steel forming at a significantly lower temperature).

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4497775
• OSTI ID: 865324
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

apparatus
storing
hydrogen
isotopes
improved
method
especially
tritium
provided
gas
stored
hydrides
material
example
uranium
boreholes
block
copper
mass
critically
operation
selection
cooling
pipes
failure
due
stainless
steel
significantly
temperature
reached
eutectic
formation
occurs
iron
forming
hydrogen isotope
hydrogen gas
improved method
stainless steel
hydrogen isotopes
storing hydrogen
steel forming
failure due
/422/376/423/