Recovery of tritium from tritiated molecules

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:866214

Swansiger, William A ^[1]

---

1. Livermore, CA

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.

• Research Organization: AT&T
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4657747
• OSTI ID: 866214
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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/