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Title: Method and apparatus for separation of heavy and tritiated water

Abstract

The present invention is a bi-thermal membrane process for separating and recovering hydrogen isotopes from a fluid containing hydrogen isotopes, such as water and hydrogen gas. The process in accordance with the present invention provides counter-current cold and hot streams of the fluid separated with a thermally insulating and chemically transparent proton exchange membrane (PEM). The two streams exchange hydrogen isotopes through the membrane: the heavier isotopes migrate into the cold stream, while the lighter isotopes migrate into the hot stream. The heavy and light isotopes are continuously withdrawn from the cold and hot streams respectively.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. late of North Augusta, SC
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874182
Patent Number(s):
6332914
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01D - SEPARATION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-96SR18500
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; apparatus; separation; heavy; tritiated; water; bi-thermal; membrane; process; separating; recovering; hydrogen; isotopes; fluid; containing; gas; provides; counter-current; cold; hot; streams; separated; thermally; insulating; chemically; transparent; proton; exchange; pem; heavier; migrate; stream; lighter; light; continuously; withdrawn; hydrogen gas; tritiated water; /95/96/

Citation Formats

Lee, Myung W. Method and apparatus for separation of heavy and tritiated water. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Lee, Myung W. Method and apparatus for separation of heavy and tritiated water. United States.
Lee, Myung W. Mon . "Method and apparatus for separation of heavy and tritiated water". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874182.
@article{osti_874182,
title = {Method and apparatus for separation of heavy and tritiated water},
author = {Lee, Myung W},
abstractNote = {The present invention is a bi-thermal membrane process for separating and recovering hydrogen isotopes from a fluid containing hydrogen isotopes, such as water and hydrogen gas. The process in accordance with the present invention provides counter-current cold and hot streams of the fluid separated with a thermally insulating and chemically transparent proton exchange membrane (PEM). The two streams exchange hydrogen isotopes through the membrane: the heavier isotopes migrate into the cold stream, while the lighter isotopes migrate into the hot stream. The heavy and light isotopes are continuously withdrawn from the cold and hot streams respectively.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}