Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium
Abstract
An improvement in a tritium control system 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.
- Inventors:
-
- Berkeley, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863544
- Patent Number(s):
- 4196176
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01D - SEPARATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; method; apparatus; controlling; accidental; releases; tritium; improvement; control; based; catalytic; oxidation; reactor; air; controlled; flooding; hydrogen; concentration; exceeds; specified; limit; sudden; heats; catalyst; temperature; greatly; increasing; rate; tritiated; water; vapor; heated; addition; heating; effect; flow; swamps; reduces; release; water vapor; tritiated water; oxidation reactor; oxidation rate; tritium concentration; catalytic oxidation; accidental releases; AIR POLLUTION CONTROL; CATALYSTS; INDOOR AIR POLLUTION; RADIATION PROTECTION; REACTION HEAT; SYNTHESIS; TRITIUM OXIDES; AIR POLLUTION; BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CHALCOGENIDES; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; ELEMENTS; ENTHALPY; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; HYDROGEN ISOTOPES; ISOTOPES; LIGHT NUCLEI; NONMETALS; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; OXIDES; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; POLLUTION; POLLUTION CONTROL; RADIOISOTOPES; THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES; TRITIUM COMPOUNDS; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES; /423/376/422/502/
Citation Formats
Galloway, Terry R. Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Galloway, Terry R. Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium. United States.
Galloway, Terry R. Tue .
"Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863544.
@article{osti_863544,
title = {Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium},
author = {Galloway, Terry R.},
abstractNote = {An improvement in a tritium control system 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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.