Recovery of tritium from tritiated molecules
Abstract
A method of recovering tritium from tritiated compounds comprises the steps of heating tritiated water and other co-injected tritiated compounds in a preheater to temperatures of about 600.degree. C. The mixture is injected into a reactor charged with a mixture of uranium and uranium dioxide. The injected mixture undergoes highly exothermic reactions with the uranium causing reaction temperatures to occur in excess of the melting point of uranium, and complete decomposition of the tritiated compounds to remove tritium therefrom. The uranium dioxide functions as an insulating material and heat sink preventing the reactor side walls from attaining reaction temperatures to thereby minimize tritium permeation rates. The uranium dioxide also functions as a diluent to allow for volumetric expansion of the uranium as it is converted to uranium dioxide. The reactor vessel is preferably stainless steel of sufficient mass so as to function as a heat sink preventing the reactor side walls from approaching high temperatures. A disposable copper liner extends between the reaction chamber and stainless steel outer vessel to prevent alloying of the uranium with the outer vessel. Apparatus used to carry out the method of the invention is also disclosed.
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- AT&T
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866214
- Patent Number(s):
- 4657747
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01B - NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS
C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01G - COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- recovery; tritium; tritiated; molecules; method; recovering; compounds; comprises; steps; heating; water; co-injected; preheater; temperatures; 600; degree; mixture; injected; reactor; charged; uranium; dioxide; undergoes; highly; exothermic; reactions; causing; reaction; occur; excess; melting; complete; decomposition; remove; therefrom; functions; insulating; material; heat; sink; preventing; walls; attaining; minimize; permeation; rates; diluent; allow; volumetric; expansion; converted; vessel; preferably; stainless; steel; sufficient; mass; function; approaching; disposable; copper; liner; extends; chamber; outer; prevent; alloying; apparatus; carry; disclosed; reaction temperatures; steel outer; tritiated compounds; uranium dioxide; exothermic reaction; insulating material; heat sink; reaction chamber; reactor vessel; stainless steel; reaction temperature; tritiated water; recovering tritium; sufficient mass; permeation rate; exothermic reactions; co-injected tritiated; tritiated molecules; heating tritiated; compounds comprise; tritiated compound; /423/
Citation Formats
Swansiger, William A. Recovery of tritium from tritiated molecules. United States: N. p., 1987.
Web.
Swansiger, William A. Recovery of tritium from tritiated molecules. United States.
Swansiger, William A. Thu .
"Recovery of tritium from tritiated molecules". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866214.
@article{osti_866214,
title = {Recovery of tritium from tritiated molecules},
author = {Swansiger, William A},
abstractNote = {A method of recovering tritium from tritiated compounds comprises the steps of heating tritiated water and other co-injected tritiated compounds in a preheater to temperatures of about 600.degree. C. The mixture is injected into a reactor charged with a mixture of uranium and uranium dioxide. The injected mixture undergoes highly exothermic reactions with the uranium causing reaction temperatures to occur in excess of the melting point of uranium, and complete decomposition of the tritiated compounds to remove tritium therefrom. The uranium dioxide functions as an insulating material and heat sink preventing the reactor side walls from attaining reaction temperatures to thereby minimize tritium permeation rates. The uranium dioxide also functions as a diluent to allow for volumetric expansion of the uranium as it is converted to uranium dioxide. The reactor vessel is preferably stainless steel of sufficient mass so as to function as a heat sink preventing the reactor side walls from approaching high temperatures. A disposable copper liner extends between the reaction chamber and stainless steel outer vessel to prevent alloying of the uranium with the outer vessel. Apparatus used to carry out the method of the invention is also disclosed.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987}
}